> Equestria Special Forces
>  by Miniscule Literary
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter One
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Rainbow Dash, please! Watch where you're going!"

The sound of the unicorn's cries shattered the fragile peace that had befallen the group as they made their way through the dense foliage of the Whitetail Woods.

"This wouldn't be a problem if you didn't move so slow!"

Twilight let out a quiet sigh. Had she not been walking, she would have buried her face into her own hoof. The six of them had been traveling for days, and they were starting to get on each other's nerves. The remoteness of their destination did little to help the situation either. Rarity had done nothing but complain about the setting of their adventure since it had begun, and now Rainbow Dash had become almost as irritating since they forbade her to fly.

"We just don't know what's hidin' in these here woods, Rainbow," Applejack had said, trying to calm the pegasus. "It wouldn't be safe, lettin' you fly off like that."

Of course, Rainbow Dash had taken this quite hard. Suddenly their progress was far too slow for her liking, their decisions lacking in common sense, and so forth. It was definitely testament to their patience and commitment as friends just to put up with the unruly pegasus.

And then there was Rarity...

"How far is it?" Rarity whined, lagging a good ten feet behind the rest.

"For the last time: I don't know!" Twilight snapped. This was easily the tenth time Rarity had asked, and Twilight was beyond losing patience at this point. Applejack had already agreed to carry Rarity's supply saddles in addition to her own, just to help keep the unicorn quiet. 

"The Princess never told you anythin' more than 'Whitetail Woods'?" Applejack asked, pleading. She wanted them to reach their destination just as much as Rarity.

"Southern Whitetail Woods," Twilight corrected with a nod. "The travelers were attacked going to and coming from Las Pegasus. They couldn't remember where exactly, and I don't blame them." The Whitetail Woods were, after all, quite large. It was difficult to tell just how far they had traveled, and they even had a map.

"And they didn't catch a glimpse or a whiff of what attacked 'em?"

"That's what Princess Celestia said."

"Twilight, if this is another Grue..."

Oh dear Celestia, the Grue.

"I don't think so," Twilight said hastily, understanding her friend's concern. "Not all of the attacks occurred after nightfall."

"Good," was all the earth pony said, returning her focus to the road ahead.

The six of them were traveling on one of the many crude paths cutting through the Whitetail Woods, hoping to retrace the victims' steps. Although the Equestrian Railway had a track that ran in and out of Las Pegasus, many ponies found it a better use of their time and bits to take the trails. Normally, this would be a harmless if not time consuming venture, but as of late many travelers have reported being attacked by an unknown assailant, or group of assailants. Strangely, despite a number of the attacks occurring in broad daylight, the victims never saw their attackers.

"We would already be there if I was in the air!" Rainbow Dash protested noisily, throwing her head back with a groan of frustration.

"Twilight," Fluttershy murmured, struggling to catch up with the others. "I think we have a problem."

"What's the matter, Fluttershy?" Applejack inquired, slowing to a stop along with Twilight and Rainbow Dash. Pinkie bounced into position not far away, and a few minutes later, Rarity joined them as well.

"There aren't any animals around here."

The assembled ponies hadn't noticed this. Sure enough, after a few silent moments to confirm, they found the air to be completely still. Birds no longer sung in the trees, woodland creatures no longer scurried around in the undergrowth at the peripherals of their vision. The forest was dead silent.

"I don't like this," Applejack murmured to Twilight. The ponies - sans Pinkie Pie - all watched the treeline nervously. Every creak of pine, every snap of a twig, could mean the end of them all.

A strange sound quickly caught their interest. Faint at first, it sounded as though a tree was falling not far off the path. The sound of its creaking body and snapping splinters rumbled toward them, but did not stop. It was as a line of trees were felled at once, slowly growing closer and closer with each passing second. Despite the deafening noise, the assembled ponies couldn't see a thing in the dense foliage that surrounded them.

"What is that dreadful sound?" Rarity shouted over the roar of twisted wood, huddling with the rest of her friends at the center of the path.

The foliage exploded. The ponies were quickly entangled in a windstorm of greenery, berated by fallen leaves, twigs, and even massive branches. The sound was perhaps more terrifying than the sight; it was as if they were caught within a hurricane made of wood and leaves. The ponies could barely hear themselves think, let alone talk.

"Woah!" Rainbow Dash cried as she ducked under a twisted branch aimed at her head. The limb looked as though it belonged to the most vile and twisted tree she had ever seen. Made of intertwining wood, it was a dark gray in color - a stark contrast to the healthy brown of the forest around them - and had patchy bits of bark missing all along its length. Just as quickly as it had appeared, however, the branch disappeared back into the flurry of debris.

"Wee!" Pinkie shouted with glee as she was hoisted into the air by what appeared to be branch with claws. Her terrified friends, oblivious to the pink pony's peril, disappeared from sight as she rose through the layers of the storm. Leaves and twigs caught in her mane, she only continued to rise, and soon she was staring face to face with a twisted husk of a tree, devoid of leaves and with limbs made of interweaving branches. Its face, unnatural enough for a tree, was twisted into a hateful scowl. Its eyes and mouth appeared like black voids along its surface, allowing no light to enter.

"I didn't know trees had faces!" the pink pony exclaimed. She seemed mostly unaffected by her predicament, even after she noticed two more tree-beings around her. "Oh, are you having a party?" Her captors only continued to scowl at her, as if they were gigantic wooden statues. "This doesn't seem like a very fun party. You guys should branch out more!"

The hurricane of foliage below exploded, tossing debris in all directions. The remaining five ponies stood amidst a sea of discarded leaves, branches, and twigs, battered and confused, but intact. Now, the true form of their attackers were revealed: towering over the ponies were three gargantuan sentient trees, all comprised of sickly gray wood. With arms made of twisted branches, and with hundreds of roots hanging from each massive stump of a foot, they were truly a terrifying sight to behold.

"Treants!" Twilight gasped, taking a step back.

"Hiya!" Pinkie cried from the treant's grasp, waving a hoof excitedly. "Be careful, these guys are knot kidding around!"

"Oh no," Applejack muttered as the assembled ponies finally realized their friend's dangerous situation.

"Let her go!" Twilight demanded, stamping a hoof. The treants only continued to glare ominously.

"You heard her!" Rainbow Dash shouted, shooting into the air to stare at Pinkie's captor eye to eye. "Drop the pony you toothpick!"

"Maybe if you axed them nicely, we could get to the root of the problem!" Pinkie suggested with a grin.

"You're not helping!"

The treant holding Pinkie swatted at Rainbow with a gnarled hand. The pegasus narrowly evaded the limb with a surprised "hey!" before darting around to the aberration's side. Turning, she bucked the twisted wood with her back legs, causing a chunk of its body to cave in on itself. The pegasus faltered in the air, not expecting the surface to give way. Tumbling through the air to right herself, Rainbow barely avoided another swat from the treant.

Twilight, her horn glowing brightly, shot a short burst of magical energy at the nearest enemy. Much to her dismay, the attack rebounded off the wooden behemoth's hide as if it were made of rubber.

"They're immune to magic!" she cried. She was disappointed in herself for not realizing this sooner!

"Go for the arms and legs!" Rainbow Dash shouted, looping out of her own treant's grasping reach. "They're brittle! We can smash them!"

"That's my kinda plan!" Applejack said, rearing excitedly. The earth pony charged into battle, weaving through one of the treant's legs. The gargantuan construct was slow to realize it was under attack. The sound of splintering wood tore through the forest as one of the treant's legs was caved inward, causing it to lose its balance and fall to the floor with an earth shaking crash.

Twilight, adjusting her tactics, dislodged a large boulder from the side of the road with her magic and sent it smashing into another treant's leg, near the center. The boulder lodged itself in the cavity that was created, preventing the wooden monstrosity from falling, but also preventing it from moving. The treant looked a bit confused, staring angrily down at its crippled limb.

Rainbow Dash, darting underneath another swing from the treant holding Pinkie, flew up to the crippled behemoth's face and bucked. Despite her small size, the pegasus packed quite the punch. With a series of sickening cracks, the treant's leg completely split at the site of its wound. Without its other limb to support it, the wooden aberration tipped backward like a felled tree, landing next to its fallen brethren with a crash monstrous enough to rival its nature.

Only one treant was left standing, and in its grasp lay Pinkie Pie, as bubbly and happy-go-lucky as ever. The construct groaned loudly, like a tree about to fall, and caused the ground to shake with every step. This would not be as easy as the others; with Pinkie as its captive, they could not be as violent with this one, if they wanted to avoid hurting their friend.

"We need to immobilize that arm!" Twilight shouted above the terrible racket, looking to Rarity expectantly as they retreated.

"Oh alright!" the other unicorn conceded, her horn glowing. Her saddles, currently in the possession of Applejack, flew open as she drew a large pointed blue gem from within. "I'm so sorry," she whispered to the jewel, shortly before poising it above her head.

"Rainbow!"

"On it!" the pegasus responded, looping around the treant's arm. Positioning herself near the bulk of a nearby tree, Rainbow blew raspberries at the behemoth, daring it to strike. Sure enough, the treant lashed out with the arm holding the pink pony, who screamed out in delight as she rocketed toward her airborne ally. Moments before the limb connected, Rainbow Dash ducked underneath it, causing it to crash noisily with the tree, almost uprooting it in the process. Darting upward once more, the pegasus slammed into the treant's wrist, pushing its forearm against the tree.

Rarity launched the jewel with her magic, causing the priceless hunk to embed itself in the treant's twisted hide, impaling the limb and pinning it to the tree. Rainbow Dash increased the force pushing against the gargantuan construct's wrist, causing the branches that made up the limb to crack and splinter against the assault. Sure enough, the limb snapped in two at the wrist, causing Pinkie, still in the unflinching grip of the severed hand, to fall toward the forest floor.

Instinctively, Twilight extended a field of magic to catch her falling companion, but even after being separated from the treant itself, the wood retained its bizarre immunity to magic and continued its descent unabated. Before the unicorn could cry out for help, however, Fluttershy had already come to her friend's aid. Struggling to stay aloft with the added weight, the pegasus was not alone for long. It took but a moment for Rainbow Dash to realize what was happening, and soon Pinkie was gently lowered to the ground by the two winged ponies.

"How are you ganna get me out of this thing?" Pinkie asked as Twilight and Fluttershy attempted to force the treant's hand open. "I'm stumped!"

Meanwhile, Applejack and Rainbow Dash converged on their foe to finish it off once and for all. While Rarity used her magic to keep the jewel in place, preventing the aberration from moving freely, Applejack weaved through the treant's legs as she had done before, while Rainbow Dash took up a position near its face. With one swift buck, the back of the treant's leg shattered, causing its leg to buckle under the strain. Only its remaining leg and its pinned limb kept it from joining its fallen brethren now, but with one final kick, Rainbow Dash knocked the treant backward, causing its remaining leg to splinter and crack while it pulled the tree from its roots with its crippled limb, collapsing with the mighty plant laying on top of it.

Just as the earth shook one last time with the giant's downfall, Twilight and Fluttershy managed to force the severed hand open, freeing Pinkie Pie at last.

"That was amazingly amazing!" the pink pony exclaimed, bouncing around the exhausted ponies excitedly. "But we better leaf here soon, I think I saw some movement out there!"

The ponies groaned.
> Chapter Two
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight awoke with a jolt. The door to the train car opened noisily some distance ahead, and three smiling ponies entered. Talking idly with themselves, the group exited the car at the opposite end and swiftly disappeared from sight. The unicorn rested her head on the windowsill with a sigh, groggy and irritated from her restless sleep. Her friends sat all around her, some sleeping, others in a state similar to her own. They were on their way back to Canterlot; with the threat in Whitetail Woods eliminated, they were off to pick up their next assignment.

That's how it had been for months now. After the events in the Crystal Empire, Celestia had summoned them to Canterlot to discuss their future in her service. She wished to use them as a sort of problem solving crew, to go about Equestria and beyond to act in her name. If there was an unruly beast threatening the good ponies of Equestria, they would be sent to investigate. If there was a pressing diplomatic emergency, they would be the ones to answer the call on behalf of the Princess.

It was a tall order, and often a gruesome one; not every situation could be solved with peace and understanding, after all. It also required a lot of sacrifice on their part. They were traveling most of the time, and hadn't seen Ponyville since they had begun. Leaving all they had known behind was easier for some than others. Twilight missed the library, and only got to see Spike every now and then, but had little else to keep her in Ponyville now that her friends were on the move with her. Applejack, however, had been difficult to convince. Although Celestia promised to send "professionals" to help on the family orchards in the earth pony's stead, she still felt as though she were betraying her family and her own way of life.

The process was rough. They had been on adventures before, but never so frequently were they away from their homes. They practically lived on the trains now - all expenses paid, of course - and it was, without a doubt, taxing on their minds and bodies. But they had done so much good in the months they had been working for the Princess. Twilight felt that all the pain and irritation was worth it in the end, to make Equestria a better place for everyone, including their friends and family back in Ponyville. 

Besides, their new adventures had opened so many doors for them. Twilight had a chance to practice her offensive spells, and even develop new techniques. Not to mention: she had observed and cataloged enough of their adventures to write at least three novels. She had even taught Rarity a few spells, which was an amazing feat for a unicorn whose special talent was fashion. Indeed, she had very much to look forward to when everything was said and done, and this was only the start of their travels.

"We are now approaching Canterlot Station! Repeat: we are now approaching Canterlot Station!"

This seemed to imbue a little life in the exhausted ponies. Awoken from their slumber or merely drawn from their stupor, the six friends began to chat idly with each other, mostly about the promise of a nice warm bed.

"I don't know about you girls," Rainbow Dash began, flexing her wings lazily. "but I'm going to enjoy my time in Canterlot."

"Me too!" Pinkie Pie said with a nod. "Grab some grub, sleep the rest of the day! Sounds like a plan to me!" 

The ponies laughed. The irritableness and frustration of their journey melted away at the idea of relaxing for a day. They were friends again, without a care in the world.

As the train pulled into the station, the Equestrian Special Forces gathered their belongings and disembarked from the train. From there, they went their separate ways. Though they would meet up at the palace by nightfall, and leave in the morning, the rest of the day was theirs to do whatever they wanted. It was one of the few moments where they could enjoy themselves, without worrying about what to do next. This applied to most of them, anyway.

Twilight had other business to attend to. Princess Celestia had requested an audience with her - likely to discuss their next assignment - at her earliest convenience. Despite being a constant reminder of her responsibilities, Twilight usually enjoyed her time with her mentor. Basking in the ancient pony's wisdom, she found herself growing as both a leader and a warrior with each visit. The Princess had been testing the unicorn's magical abilities as of late, and Twilight had learned many valuable things about herself as a result.

Thus, her destination was clear: the Canterlot palace. Hefting her saddles onto her back with some effort, the unicorn set off into Canterlot proper. Although her birthplace, she felt as though she was rediscovering the city with every visit. Perhaps, in time, it would become more of a home than Ponyville. For now, it was a vague and distant memory, lost in the recesses of her mind. 

This did not make it any less impressive, however. Canterlot was the definition of class; from its people to its architecture, the city was immaculate. While Ponyville stood as a quaint and quiet little town, and while Manehattan stood as a prosperous, bustling city, Canterlot stood as a city of nobles. Although many would consider its homes to be old and outdated, those that lived within the city itself considered them to be works of art; beautiful remnants of the past. They considered themselves to be above the practical designs of towns like Ponyville, which would lead many to call Canterlot a city of arrogant stuffed shirts. In truth, they were probably right.

It was an experience, that was sure. 

If Canterlot was the crown jewel of Equestria, than Canterlot Palace was the jewel within the jewel. Towering above any other structure in the city, the palace was a shining example of the ancient, sophisticated architecture that had come to define the city. The interior was perhaps even more impressive; with painted glass, intricate tapestries, and massive, lavish rooms, it was something that still took Twilight's breath away. Although at times she had been too busy or too irritated to appreciate its beauty, it was a pity that she did not do so more often.

"Princess!"

Twilight broke out into a gallop at the sight of her mentor, seated proudly upon her throne. With a gentle dismissal of her attendants, Celestia turned to regard her student fondly. As the smaller pony neared, she craned her neck down to meet her, and the two shared a small gesture of affection. 

"It is good to see you again, Twilight. I trust your trip back to Canterlot went well?"

"As well as it could have," Twilight replied with a weak smile. She felt at ease in her mentor's presence, and it only helped her realize just how tired she was. "You have no idea how glad I am to be off that train!"

"Then I have news you will be excited to hear," Celestia said with a coy smile. "Your next assignment will come about in four days time. You and your friends may spend the time until then however you wish. You may even head back to Ponyville if you so choose."

"That's incredible!" Twilight replied with a wide grin. She had never been so happy to hear about an assignment! The others would undoubtedly be glad to hear this too. "What is the assignment?"

"You are to head to the city of Yardenfell, in southern Equestria."

"Yardenfell?"

"It is a city belonging to the Pygmy," Celestia explained. "They wish for us to handle a rather delicate matter there."

Twilight frowned. The Pygmy - or Rath'urn as they called themselves - were exactly as the name implied: minature ponies, usually abnormally strong for their size and with incredibly long hair, which was usually braided in some fashion. They were hardly peaceful folk like the Equestrians or the Saddle Arabians, and thus any business involving them was dangerous indeed.

"They are asking us to help in their ... internal affairs?"

"In a way," Celestia replied, thinking for a moment. "A rogue sect of Pygmy radicals have cropped up in Yardenfell. They believe that us Equestrians might be more capable at resolving the issue peacefully, and will consider it an act of diplomacy. This may increase our standing with the Pygmies as a whole."

"No pressure," Twilight murmured, her frown deepening.

"It is important that you end this dispute amicably, Twilight Sparkle."

"You can count on us, Princess," the unicorn replied with somewhat forced determination. It was definitely a good thing they had more than a day to prepare; where they were going, they needed all the mental preparation they could get.

"Now then," Celestia began, giving her student an even stare. "What was plaguing Whitetail Woods?"

"Treants."

"Treants?" the Princess repeated, looking thoughtfully at the floor. "It is very unlike them to be so violent."

"They seemed sick," Twilight explained, frowning. "They were gnarled and gray, and just looked ... ill."

"A shame. Perhaps it is best you released them from their misery. Noble creatures such as they do not deserve to wallow in depravity."

The two grew silent for a moment, as if in honor of the constructs' sacrifice.

"Are you ready to begin the next phase of your training?" Celestia asked suddenly. "We have much to do if you wish to realize your full potential, Twilight Sparkle."

Twilight hesitated, frowning. Although training with her mentor meant spending time with her, the Princess's idea of training was often quite brutal, especially of late. Normally the unicorn would approach the situation with defiant determination, ready to take whatever challenge Celestia had planned for her head on. But after spending hours and hours crossing the length of Equestria on hoof and rail, she was far too exhausted to even consider the notion.

"I'd rather wait until tomorrow, Princess," she replied nervously. "I'm sorry, but I don't think I can last much longer without a nap!"

Celestia chuckled, giving the unicorn an understanding nod. "For you to properly learn from your training, you need to be alert and focused. We will begin tomorrow, bright and early, alright?"

"Yes ma'am. Thank you." Twilight turned to depart, her mind set on sleep, before Celestia spoke up once more.

"One last thing," the Princess promised, standing. Her student turned back to her expectantly with an innocent blink. "The armor I had commissioned for you and your friends is finally complete. I believe they have already been shipped to your rooms. I expect you to use them well, Twilight; they will keep you safe."

"Is it really necessary, Princess?" Twilight asked, confused. They had done just fine without weapons or armor for months now! "I appreciate the offer, but-"

"Please, Twilight," Celestia interrupted, giving the unicorn a very serious stare. "Your safety, and the safety of your friends are very important to me. I could not live with myself if any of you were to get hurt on one of your journeys. Please, do this for me."

Twilight was at a loss for words. Although she still didn't see the need for it, she was inclined to accept after seeing how serious Princess Celestia was about it. After a moment's thought, she nodded.

"Thank you. Now go and rest. You've earned it."
> Chapter Three
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"There I was, stuck between three gigantic tree monsters!" Rainbow Dash began, watching the patrons of the pub gape and smile at her tale. "My friends were frozen in fear, and in serious need of my help!" The pegasus took a large gulp of her cider and continued. "Standing at least sixty feet tall, the monsters were like nothing I had ever seen before! Horrible fanged faces carved on their tree bodies, they swung an endless amount of branches - their arms and legs, by the way - in my direction. For every one that I smashed," the pegasus paused to demonstrate, bashing a nearby table with her hoof, "two more would take its place!"

Her audience reacted instantly, some gasping, others murmuring amongst themselves. All of them were thoroughly enjoying her story. Rarity, seated a few tables down, however, was not. She wasn't cruel enough to insist the story was false - not that any of them would believe her to begin with - and thus was forced to endure the pegasus' ridiculous tale in silence, with only her mug of cider to keep her company.

"Oh, oh!" Pinkie shouted excitedly, popping up next to Rainbow Dash at the center of the crowd. "What about the part where I fought those jaguars?"

"Later, Pinkie," Rainbow Dash replied hastily, trying to maintain the illusion of her story despite the interruption. "Anyway, the odds were definitely stacked against us, but in the end, I discovered a serious flaw in the enemy and defeated them all!"

The crowd erupted into cheers and applause, many congratulating the pegasus with additional helpings of cider. Pinkie only nodded, a wide grin across her face.

"Maybe next you can tell them about the Grue," Rarity said as she passed, making her way to the exit. Rainbow Dash instantly frowned at the thought, and the expression deepened when she heard the shouts of approval from her audience. Rarity left the pub with a smirk, the demanding roar of the crowd music to her ears.

For once, Rarity did not want to be the center of attention. Rainbow and Pinkie enjoyed basking in the glory of their achievements - usually in pubs and other such places - but Rarity did not share this love. Sure, she was the first to tell a Canterlot noble about her position as Princess Celestia's hoof chosen subject, but she did not particularly enjoy the company of the ponies that her colleagues tended to associate with. No, she would reserve tales of her adventures for worthier ears. 

For now, though, the sound of a warm bed in a nice quiet room sounded quite pleasant to the unicorn.

Meanwhile, in the market district of Canterlot, Applejack was hard at work turning a large supply of apples into a wide assortment of delicious treats. These weren't just any apples either; these were Sweet Apple Acre apples, delivered straight from the farm she had left behind. The store was another condition of the earth pony's involvement. In order to help her family's business while she was gone, she had requested a Canterlot location from which to sell her family's crops. Now, whenever she was in town, she would help the staff there as best she could to make and sell apple products.

Although it meant hard work as soon as she arrived, it was almost therapeutic for Applejack. Ever since she left the family farm, she felt as though she had betrayed the ones she loved, even if they were arguably better off now than before, thanks to the conditions she had set in place. Helping out at their Canterlot location was her way of repentance for her crimes, and eased the pain of leaving her family. It also gave her a sense of normality; dicing apples was much more normal to her than fighting monsters or traveling to the ends of Equestria.

"Hi Applejack."

The earth pony snapped out of her trance at the sound and looked up. Immediately she was greeted by the smiling face of Fluttershy, who had just entered the shop.

"Howdy Fluttershy," she greeted with a weak smile, her exhaustion quite clear. "How's Canterlot been treatin' ya?"

"Oh, its not so bad these days," the pegasus replied. The two fell silent for a few moments as Applejack struggled to lift a bag of apples onto the counter. "Do you need any help?"

"I appreciate the offer, but I've got it covered." Fluttershy gave her a strange look. "No, really. I've got a few more things to do, then I'm off to bed."

"Oh, alright," the pegasus said, smiling. After inspecting the delicious treats Applejack and her staff had prepared for a few minutes, Fluttershy was eventually joined by her friend, and the two left the shop with sleep in mind.

"I'm not sure I'll ever get used to this place," Applejack said as they made their way through the city. "Just too big for my likin'."

"Its a scary place at first, especially when you're alone," Fluttershy agreed with a nod. "But its got a lot to offer."

"And the ponies." Applejack rolled her eyes. "They wouldn't know hard work if it bit 'em on the nose. I'm surprised the shop is sellin' as much as it is."

"Who knows Applejack, you might be changing their way of life. Wouldn't that be something? 'The apples that changed Canterlot.'"

"Heh, you sure do have one heck of an imagination, Fluttershy."

By now, the two had entered the palace district. Their quarters were held not far from the palace itself, and shared much of the larger building's charm and extravagance. The rooms were reserved for "royal guests", which was quite the honor to ponies from such simple upbringings. After ascending the staircase to the guest quarters themselves, they found a few doors already open.

"Rarity?" Applejack called as she poked her head in one of the rooms. "Back already?"

"Unfortunately," the unicorn responded, her attention elsewhere.

"What do ya got there?" the earth pony inquired, taking a few steps into the room. Rarity had a set of gleaming golden armor suspended in front of her by a field of her magic. She was making bizarre faces at it, as if unsure whether or not she approved.

"I found this in a chest in my room when I arrived. It had the royal seal on it."

"Princess Celestia wants us to wear that?" Fluttershy's meek voice came from behind them. Applejack only just noticed the pegasus peeking into the room from the doorway.

"I sure hope not," Applejack said, making a face at the armor. "Did they really have to make it so bright?"

"I sincerely hope you're joking," Rarity retorted, giving Applejack a serious look as she attempted to fit the chest piece over her head. "This is not just gold coloring, Applejack. This is real gold! A thin layer, at least, over the rest of the plating." The unicorn adjusted the tiara on her head, took a deep breath, and turned dramatically toward them. "How do I look? I may have to alter my mane to fit the style, but-"

"I-is that what I think it is?" Fluttershy asked tentatively, pointing at Rarity's chest with a hoof. Held at the center of the armor was a large purple diamond: the symbol of the Element of Generosity.

"The Princess wants us to use the Elements?" Applejack thought aloud, confused. "Isn't that...over doing it a little?"

"Not quite."

The new voice caused all three ponies to jolt. Fluttershy nearly collided face first with the floor as she scrambled to get out of the way.

"Oh, Twilight..." they heard the pegasus say, and relaxed. "You scared me."

"Sorry," the unicorn apologized as she trotted into the room. Fluttershy assumed her position near the doorway on the opposite side. "I couldn't help but over hear your conversation about the armor. I'm afraid the Princess wants us to wear it from now on, when we're on assignment."

Although Applejack and Fluttershy looked a bit disappointed, Rarity, meanwhile, was elated, prancing about the room while wearing her gleaming gift.

"Surely Princess Celestia doesn't want us to use these on a bunch of varmints?" Applejack asked, gesturing with a hoof at the gem on Rarity's chest. Twilight shook her head.

"It wouldn't have much of an effect anyway," she explained. "The Elements are designed to fight evil. Misguided creatures, desperate, thieving ponies: these are not evil."

"I still don't understand why we need armor. We've been doin' just fine without it!"

"The Princess is concerned with our safety. She believes the armor will help, and I agree with her," Twilight replied with a shrug. "Try it on. The Princess says that its very light, and very strong."

"Oh, it is! I barely feel the weight!" Rarity interrupted as she pranced past.

"I'll deal with it tomorrow," Applejack conceded, waving a hoof at them as she turned to leave the room. "I'm goin' to bed. Good night."

The ponies said their good nights to their departing friend, before Twilight noticed something.

"Where are Rainbow and Pinkie?"

"Spinning a web of lies a few blocks from here that will surely come back to bite them," Rarity replied with a smug smirk, admiring herself in a nearby mirror. "I trust they will be back by nightfall."

"I guess I'll be heading to bed, then."

"Not going to tell us about the next assignment?" Rarity asked, finally looking away from her reflection.

"In the morning, when we're all here," Twilight assured her with a wide yawn. "Good night everypony."
> Chapter Four
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bright and early, as instructed, Twilight Sparkle was on her way to the palace. Her sleep had been quite restful; waking up at this time was no difficult task. The same could not be said for her friends, however, as most of them had yet to wake. The unicorn didn't know how late it was when Pinkie and Rainbow returned to their rooms, but the seeing their doors carelessly left open gave her some indication.

Twilight was more than a little nervous about her meeting with Celestia. The past few sessions had involved dueling with experienced unicorn mages, followed by instruction from Celestia herself. So far, she had managed to defeat her opponents - many by the skin of her teeth - but the process was getting more and more difficult with each session. She felt that she was not progressing fast enough to keep up with Celestia's difficulty curve, and the idea of disappointing her mentor was a very real fear.

"Good morning Twilight," Celestia's calm voice wafted over to her from the throne, where the alicorn sat proudly.

"Good morning Princess," Twilight replied with a smile, giving her a respectful bow. "I am ready to begin the next phase of my training."

"I am pleased to hear that," the Princess said with a smile of her own. "Follow me, and we will begin."

Twilight knew where they were going and why, but followed her mentor regardless. Their sessions had thus far taken place in a large, plain white room at the back of the palace. It offered unicorns a chance to practice their magic without worrying about disturbing others or damaging property. If her previous encounters there were any indication, it wouldn't be long before the uniform interior was scarred with the signs of battle.

After a short walk through the palace, with guards and other officials bowing to them as they went, they finally arrived at the site. The damage that had been inflicted to the room in their last session was, of course, repaired; the room had returned to its impossibly clean, white tiled self. Celestia closed the heavy metal doors behind them as they entered, ensuring that they would not be disturbed. Strangely, they were alone inside of the chamber. Usually, Twilight's opponent would already be there waiting for them when they arrived.

"I won't be dueling today, Princess?" Twilight asked with a pleading smile, losing a bit of her nervousness with the revelation.

"Not quite," Celestia began, taking up a position a few meters ahead of Twilight. A sudden panic began to rise in her chest. "I will be your opponent for today."

Twilight's eyes widened. She tried to speak, but could only gape in confusion. She would be up against the Princess herself? She had barely managed to defeat the last three opponents, and they were just unicorns! This was madness!

As Twilight tried to make sense of the situation, a large ornate chest was brought out from the recesses of the room, almost as if it materialized out of no where, as there was surely no place to hide it. Shrouded by Celestia's magic, the chest was gently lowered into place a few feet from Twilight. It was the same chest she had seen in Rarity's room the night before; she had found it strange that every room except her own contained one. Now she knew why.

"I would like you to wear this armor for our duel," the Princess explained, opening the chest with a flick of her head. Its gleaming golden contents were lifted out shortly after and placed at Twilight's hooves. "It is important that you get comfortable with wearing it if you wish to be at your best."

Twilight looked from her mentor to the armor, unsure. It did make sense, what the Princess had said. Reluctantly, and with a bit of difficulty, the unicorn pulled the chest piece over her head, allowing it to fit snugly against her back, neck, and chest. 

"You may leave the head piece off for now," the Princess explained, closing the chest. The entire chest blinked out of existence shortly after, removed from the room by the alicorn's magic. "Are you ready to begin?"

"A-are you sure I'm ready for this, Princess?" Twilight asked tentatively, shrugging the armor into a more comfortable position. 

"Is that not what I asked?" Celestia replied with a playful smirk. "You will do fine, so long as you don't hold back."

"I'll try my best, Princess," the unicorn said, taking a deep breath. The two assumed combat stances opposite each other, their legs bent, their horns at the ready.

Celestia's horn began to glow. Three bright balls of flame materialized into existence in front of her with each wave of her head, each rocketing toward Twilight shortly after their creation. The unicorn mimicked the head movement, summoning sheets of frigid energy instead; the fireballs impacted with the energy with a hiss, causing plumes of smoke to rise into the air as the two attacks canceled each other out.

A bright flash of light caught Twilight's attention, but before the unicorn could react, Celestia's horn knocked her legs out from under her with one gracefully sweep, the alicorn rearing up as she did in one fluent motion. Thinking quickly, Twilight enveloped herself in her own magic and slid forward. Celestia's hooves impacted heavily with the floor behind her, as the unicorn flipped head over tail with the help of her magic until she was on her hooves again.

Twilight's magic caused a sizable spire of earth to break through the tiles beneath her mentor with a bright glow of her horn. Anticipating this, Celestia leapt into the air shortly before the ground surged beneath her, perching herself on the spire itself. Her own horn glowing, the tower of rock was suddenly sent rocketing forward with her on top of it, tearing apart the tiles between mentor and student.

Rolling to the side at the last moment, a large blade of magical energy extended from Twilight's horn, cleaving the rock in two as it passed. Detecting another flash of light behind her, Twilight teleported, appearing behind her mentor, who disappeared in another flash as Twilight arrived. This repeated for several moments, one appearing behind the other in a dazzling display of light and energy, until the cycle was finally broken.

Just as Twilight finished another teleport, the air was painfully forced out of Twilight's lungs as she arrived; a thin, flat spear of rock had thrust up beneath her as her spell concluded, lifting her several feet into the air. Celestia, leaping into the air with the aid of her wings, extended a bright golden blade of energy from her horn. Before the blade was brought to bare, however, Twilight poured her magic into the spire beneath her, causing it to grow rapidly. Extending a small barrier above herself, she collided forcefully with the alicorn's abdomen, knocking the wind out of her in the process. The pillar continued to climb, with both Twilight and Celestia rising with it.

Celestia, recovering, coated her hooves with magic and brought them down against Twilight's barrier, shattering the magical defense like glass. Clanking noisily against the armor, the Princess' hooves did little to hurt the unicorn. The force that the attack had created, however, was a different story. The pillar still pushing against her from one direction, the unicorn was smashed against the rock with the impact of her mentor's hooves. Twilight's limbs went rigid as she cried out in pain; she could've sworn she felt a few ribs crack with the impact. 

The pillar slowed to a stop as the unicorn's focus was disrupted, allowing Celestia to glide gracefully away. The spire of rock was now at least fifteen feet tall; Twilight slowly began to slide off of it, eventually falling limply to the ground, which she impacted with with a loud clatter. The armor helped in lessening the damage of the fall, but it was still enough of an impact to cause her injured abdomen to radiate pain in all directions.

"You have done well, Twilight Sparkle," Celestia began as she flew down to her student. Despite her words, she was frowning. "But you are still holding back."

"I'm...sorry..." Twilight murmured, struggling to rise. Her body ached, and her chest burned intensely. "I tried my best."

"I'm afraid an apology is not good enough," the Princess replied, her frown deepening. "If you cannot come at me with everything you have, you are not fit to lead your team."

"What?" Twilight responded, alarmed and confused. It seemed like a very irrational reaction to failing an impossible task! She couldn't be serious.

"You heard me. If you cannot dedicate yourself to your task, you not only put your life at risk, but the lives of your friends as well. It could even endanger all of Equestria. I cannot take that chance."

Twilight couldn't believe what she was hearing. She was certain it was the Princess' attempt to motivate her, but she also felt the threat was genuine. But what did she mean? Twilight had tried her best, and it wasn't enough.

"I...I tried, Princess. I don't know if I have any more to give."

"You have more potential than you realize, Twilight," Celestia explained. "I saw it myself, on the day of your entrance exam. You performed magic that took Equestria's most experienced mages hundreds of years to learn."

"She means that?" Twilight thought in disbelief, staring, confused, at the ground. That was just the unstable nature of young unicorn magic; she hadn't had an episode like that since she was just a filly!

"I'm sorry Twilight," Celestia began, shaking her head as she turned to leave. "But my decision is final."

"Wait!" the unicorn cried, ignoring the pain as she charged after the Princess. "Give me one more chance, please!"

Celestia smiled softly to herself. Turning back to the unicorn, she gave her an approving nod and immediately assumed a combat stance. Twilight, caught off guard by the sudden shift in attitude, assumed her own combat stance, her eyes desperate and determined.

Suddenly, the Princess' glorious wings unfurled, making her impressive form even more imposing; her horn began to glow a blazing golden white color as she summoned vast amounts of magical energy. Twilight took a step back, realizing what her mentor intended. Her horn began to glow as she prepared her own attack, dredging up as much strength as she possibly could.

The light radiating from the two enveloped the entire room; it was a miracle that either of them could see at all. Without warning, their power was unleashed; a cascade of golden energy, focused into a tight beam, shot forth from Celestia, while a similar attack of a bluish purple color was summoned by Twilight. The two beams clashed mid-air with an explosion of color, light, and sparks. The golden energy of Celestia struggled against the purple energy of Twilight, the two distinct colors gaining and losing ground seemingly at random as the two powers tried to force the other back.

It quickly became clear that Twilight was no match for her mentor. Despite all her preparation, her own energy was swiftly being forced back toward her. It wasn't long before the energy was a foot or two away from her horn; if it completely overtook her own energy, it would all be over. She would be removed from her team, possibly to never see her friends again. She would be replaced; professionally at first, but it was inevitable that she would be forgotten. She would never get the chance to help them, to make sure they were safe; to make sure all of Equestria was safe. She would probably even lose her status with the Princess, and never see her again either. She would be cast out of Canterlot as a failure, her new life destroyed.

All because of this moment.

She couldn't let it happen. She did not merely resist it; she refused to let it happen. She didn't care about pleasing Celestia, or even about her own health. She was fighting for her friends, for all of Equestria and her part within it. Every fiber of her being surged with renewed energy; bolts of purplish energy arched off her like she was a lightening rod, tearing apart the tiles around her. Her eyes were a solid luminescent white; her vision eroded away completely as the energy overtook her.

The struggle of power reacted instantly. Twilight's energy gained a foot, then two, then three. Soon, they were back to an even half and half, and even that did not last long. Slowly but surely, she was forcing Celestia's energy back with a colossal cascade of her own power, power that she never knew she had.

Celestia smiled behind the blaze, looking on with pride at her student at the other end of the power struggle. Her own gaze was filled with the same surging white light; her normally gently flowing mane suddenly became much more turbulent, as if the unseen wind that caused it to waft became a hurricane. The torrent of energy coming from her horn doubled in size; the surge of power smashed into Twilight's advance in a shower of sparks and light. Almost immediately, the unicorn's energy began to lose ground rapidly. 

"No!" Twilight cried out in anger, her teeth clenched as she pushed herself to her limits and beyond. Under this renewed assault, the alicorn's counterattack slowed, but did not stop. Twilight watched in horror as the energy finally reached her horn and erupted, creating a gargantuan golden explosion that sent her soaring across the room.

As the light of the explosion faded, Celestia's gaze returned to normal. With a deep breath, the alicorn leapt into the air, gliding the length of the room until she was at her student's side. Twilight lay, bruised, battered, and even a bit singed, curled up near the wall, sobbing quietly to herself. Celestia crouched down beside her, laying a wing comfortingly over her side.

"I couldn't do it," the unicorn cried, her head buried in her hooves. "I wasn't strong enough."

"You did better than I could ever have anticipated, Twilight. You have proven yourself more than worthy of your training and your position."

"Princess..."

"Let's get on with the instruction, shall we?"
> Chapter Five
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rainbow Dash shot through the clear mountain skies not far from Canterlot, heading further down the mountain itself. Struggling behind her was Fluttershy; the yellow pegasus was trying her best to keep pace with her friend, but Rainbow’s excitement had gotten the better of her, and she flew on without a care in the world. The two were on their way to Fort Admiration, an airbase not far from Equestria’s glorious capital. The fort functioned as one might expect, trafficking the various militant pegasi that came to and from Canterlot. This was not an ordinary visit, however: the Wonderbolts, Rainbow Dash’s idols, were performing in an airshow held at Fort Admiration, and she just so happened to be in town to see it.

Rainbow had been confident that her chances of catching the show were slim, but after hearing of the delay in their next assignment from Twilight, the pegasus could not have been happier. “This is perfect!” she exclaimed, flipping head over tail in the air in her excitement. “Gotta hand it to the Princess, she has great timing!”

“Try not to get too carried away, Rainbow,” Twilight said with a smile. She was happy for her friend, even if she herself did not quite understand the pegasus’ admiration for the ponies in question.

“No promises!” Rainbow Dash replied with a coy grin, fluttering in place. Suddenly, she turned to Fluttershy, who was standing not far away. “You’re coming too, right Fluttershy?”

The smile disappeared from the quiet pony’s face. “I’d love to, Dashie, but-”

“Come on, Fluttershy! You can’t expect me to go alone!”

“Oh, I’ll just slow you down…”

“It’s not nearly as fun without other ponies!” Rainbow insisted, not agreeing or disagreeing with what the other pegasus had said. “Besides, I need somepony to back me up when I tell the Wonderbolts about my adventures.”

Fluttershy struggled to find a reason that would get her out of the situation. It was not that she wouldn't enjoy Rainbow Dash’s company; she just had a tendency to get flustered in a crowd. All that cheering, all those ponies…it was not a good place for her.

“You owe me! Remember, you bailed on the dragon migration.”

She had a point.

And with that, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash were on their way to Fort Admiration. The former did not expect to keep up with the latter for very long; thankfully the journey was short. Fluttershy had to convince herself to keep her eyes forward, however; looking down from where they were was looking down the side of the mountain. With a fear of heights, this was not the wisest thing to do.

For Rainbow Dash, it was breathtaking. They could see into the far reaches of Equestria from up there. Had she not been so focused on their destination, she may have slowed down to enjoy it. But they had places to go; despite having an extended stay in Fort Admiration, the Wonderbolts would only be performing one day of the air show. Rainbow Dash had no intention of missing out.

Fort Admiration was an impressive, if not very simple sight. Practical grey structures were clustered at one end, while the rest was occupied by flat open space. What made the complex striking was its size and location; nestled on a plateau about half way up the mountain, the fort’s various runways gave way to a sheer drop of at least eighty feet. It was the perfect place to send and receive pegasi, and now it was home to the Wonderbolts themselves.

Swooping in like a hawk on the hunt, Rainbow soared the length of the fort as she surveyed it from above. The complex was swarming with ponies – other attendees to the show – and already the eager pegasus could see the site of the Wonderbolt’s performance. A large chunk of one of the larger runways had been separated from the rest by a series of cones and police tape, keeping the public from intruding. The skies were filled with pegasi, however, and would continue to be until the start of the performance; show officials - usually guards borrowed from Canterlot - would make sure the skies were clear before the Wonderbolts performed.

After several minutes of sightseeing high above the fort, Rainbow was finally joined by her exhausted companion.

“Let’s go Fluttershy! The Wonderbolts will be up soon!” she said as the other pegasus neared, shooting down to take her place in the crowd. Fluttershy took a moment to collect herself before she followed, thankful, at least, that they were no longer suspended above the mountainside.

By the time Fluttershy joined her, Rainbow had muscled her way to the head of the crowd assembled around the restricted area. Fluttershy managed to squeeze through the rift her friend had created quick enough to avoid confrontation, and took up a place beside her. The timid creature tried her best to avoid thinking about the horde of ponies massing behind her.

“All attendees are to remain grounded for the duration of the performance! Repeat: all attendees are to remain grounded for the duration of the performance!”

“It’s starting!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, bobbing up and down in excitement. Fluttershy gave her a worried smile, trying her best to keep out of the other ponies’ way.

“Introducing Equestria’s world renowned flying elite! Fillies and gentlecolts, please put your hooves together for the Wonderbolts!”

The crowd exploded into applause as three distant shapes shot overhead, creating a mix of smoke and lightening behind them as they went. As the team of fliers reached the end of the runway, they suddenly split, each soaring up in an arch, creating what appeared to be a three-clawed hand in the air with their maneuver. The three pegasi continued to climb until they crossed with each other; the middle flier continued along her path, upside down, while the other two began to fly around her, intertwining their smoke trails around the center trail. As they drew nearer and nearer to the ground, they suddenly shot off in different directions, creating a large burst of smoke and static as they did, much to the bewilderment of the crowd.

Rainbow Dash had seen the Wonderbolts perform before, but this one was in a league all its own. She watched in astonishment as the pegasi made intricate shapes out of their trails, performed dangerous stunts that brought them inches from the ground, and demonstrated for the crowd their impressive flying formations. This was why she loved the Wonderbolts. They were amazing, fearless ponies that were unmatched in the skies, and some day, she would be one of them.

After the show ended, Rainbow Dash couldn't help but gush about what they had seen. Fluttershy had seen the entire thing, of course, but knew that her friend could not help herself. She found the other pegasus’ excitement admirable, and listened intently, glad she was out of the crowd.

"There they are!"

Before Fluttershy could even try to comprehend who “they” were, her companion was already long gone. After a quick survey of her surroundings, Fluttershy eventually spied the object of Rainbow’s excitement: the Wonderbolts, surrounded by a sizeable crowd, were signing autographs for their fans. Golden armored guards flanked them, ensuring that the pegasi celebrities would not be harmed.

It didn't take Fluttershy long to spy Rainbow Dash forcing her way through the crowd. Again, the pegasus tried to follow, but the crowd quickly collapsed into the path her friend had created.

“As I live and breathe!” Spitfire, leader of the Wonderbolts, said suddenly as she handed an autographed photo back to an enthusiastic fan. “Rainbow Dash, is that you?”

Rainbow Dash couldn't help but gape. Despite her insistence that she was destined to be one of them, she was more than a little star struck to be recognized by none other than Spitfire. After several moments of odd choking noises, the pegasus finally regained her composure. “The one and only!”

“It’s been a long time, newbie,” Spitfire said with a smile. If there was one pony in existence that could get away with calling Rainbow Dash ‘newbie’, it was Spitfire. “I’m taking a short break,” the leader of the Wonderbolts said to a nearby guard. The guard gave her an approving nod, its expression unchanging. A hole in the crowd seemed to appear before Spitfire as she walked, gesturing for Rainbow Dash to follow.

“That was a pretty good show, by the way,” Rainbow Dash said as they walked, suppressing her inner fan to maintain her cool. “I could give you a few pointers on how to improve, if you want.”

Spitfire chuckled. “You haven’t changed a bit, newbie.” As the two neared the rear of the crowd, they quickly spotted Fluttershy, muttering requests for passage at the back of a stallion, who paid her no mind. “Fluttershy!” Spitfire called suddenly, causing the pegasus to jolt. “Would you like to join us?”

“S-sure,” Fluttershy replied meekly, shrinking closer to the ground as a sizeable portion of the crowd turned their attention to her. Spitfire and Rainbow Dash continued walking as Fluttershy joined them, heading to a more secluded location to chat. “I’m h-honored you know my name, ma’am…”

“Are you kidding? You and your friends are the talk of Equestria!” Spitfire said with a grin. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard about your adventures. Did you really take down a dragon with nothing but a branch and some chewing gum?”

“Yes,” Rainbow Dash said suddenly, preventing Fluttershy from dismissing the claim.

“Impressive,” the leader of the Wonderbolts replied, smirking. “You know, I’ve been meaning to ask: How would you like to receive some professional training from us Wonderbolts? It could be useful in your line of work.”

“Would I!-I mean, that’s cool, I guess,” Rainbow Dash said with an indifferent sniff, inspecting a hoof nonchalantly. 

“Great,” Spitfire replied. Her gaze shifted to Fluttershy. “You’re free to join in as well. You are a member of the same team, after all.”

“Oh, that’s alright,” Fluttershy said with a smile. “I appreciate the offer, but-“

“This is an offer of a lifetime, Fluttershy!” Rainbow interrupted suddenly, prodding her comrade’s chest with a hoof. “It’s not something you just turn down right off the bat!”

“I don’t…I can’t…” Fluttershy replied, her eyes pleading as she stared into Rainbow’s own, begging the pegasus not to pressure her into something she couldn’t hope to accomplish.

“Don’t you wish you could do more for the team?”

“I play a support role…” Fluttershy muttered, frowning.

“Exactly! Wouldn’t you like to do something useful?” Fluttershy looked like she was ready to cry. Rainbow Dash sighed. “Look, that may have been a bit harsh. You've come through for us lots of times when the chips are down, but wouldn’t it be nice to come in handy before we are all about to die?”

Fluttershy was at a loss for words. She was surprised at herself for even considering such a thing!

“Just because you know how to fly and fight doesn't mean you have to either of them,” Spitfire added, shrugging. “Martial arts are more about discipline than violence, after all.”

“You’re going to teach us how to fight?” Rainbow Dash asked suddenly, giving the leader of the Wonderbolts a confused blink.

“Of course!” Spitfire replied with a grin. “You forget, we used to be a lot like you girls: flying around Equestria, sorting out various problems…most of the time,” she explained, looking away as she remembered the incident involving Ponyville and a certain dragon.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to keep up…” Fluttershy murmured, her head hanging low.

“Maybe you won’t, but it’s worth a try, right?”

“I…guess so…” the pegasus conceded with a deep breath.

“Fantastic!” Spitfire exclaimed with a grin. “I’ll see you two after the show is done. Don’t keep me waiting!”
> Chapter Six
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The remaining few days flew by for the ponies. Whether they were relaxing in the sophisticated comforts of Canterlot, or hard at work in training or business, they could hardly believe their time was already up. The six friends piled into the train with gusto; they were all in a much better mind than when they had arrived. Settling down in a train car of their own, it wasn't long before they left Canterlot behind them, and set off to the far south of Equestria.

“ I've never been to a ‘pygmy’ city before,” Rarity said, making a face. “I sincerely hope it won’t be as bad as it sounds.”

“They do live underground, Rarity,” Applejack retorted.

“All that dirt,” the unicorn spat, shuddering at the thought. Applejack rolled her eyes.

“These pygmy things are supposed to be pretty tough,” Rainbow Dash added, admiring one of her muscles. “I’m not so sure they’re as good as they’re cracked up to be, though.”

As the ponies continued to discuss the coming adventure, Twilight sat quietly by herself, her head resting on the window sill. The unicorn was far too distraught to relax as her friends did. Celestia’s words during their most recent session continued haunt her.

“There may come a time when peace and compromise cannot solve all our problems, Twilight Sparkle,” the illustrious Princess of the Sun had said, her gaze deadly serious as she loomed over her student. “When that time comes, you must be ready.”  

“What do you mean?” Twilight replied innocently. The unicorn’s own words echoed ominously in her thoughts, as if she were seeing it all for the first time.

“You must decide: one life, or the lives of many.” Such simple words had caused her so much stress.

Twilight and her friends were no strangers to conflict, and even serious injury. So far, however, their ventures had never required them to take the life of another living creature, even if said creature did not give them the same courtesy: a manticore was subdued and relocated to the wild; a tribe of harpies was convinced to leave Equestria before they built their nests; even their most recent venture had ended without the loss of life. After the treants had been immobilized, Twilight had cast a spell to release their essence from their physical bodies. As elementals, this essence returned to nature, where it may one day take shape once more. The ponies had done them justice by releasing them, judging by their condition at the time. 

And now, her mentor told her that it would not always be so. Was she talking about their current assignment? Was it far more dangerous than they realized? Or perhaps she had more gruesome tasks in store for them in the future? Twilight didn't know what to think. It was all so complicated…

Twilight’s thoughts were violently interrupted as the train’s emergency brakes screeched into life, almost hurling the six of them from their seats in the process. Luggage spilling from above, it was as if they were but a few pebbles inside a tin can being shaken violently back and forth. Before they could begin to understand what had just happened, they could already hear the sound of confused and frightened voices outside their car.

“What in tarnation was that?” Applejack said what they were all thinking, getting to her hooves awkwardly. 

“Nothing good,” Twilight replied, putting the discarded luggage back into its rightful place with a short use of her magic.

“Woo! Let’s do that again!” Pinkie yelled excitedly, rocking back and forth in her seat.

Rainbow Dash, meanwhile, forced down a nearby window and hung her head outside. The pegasus’ irritated gaze quickly turned into one of confusion.

“Anythin’ Rainbow?”

“There’s a wall on the tracks,” she replied as she looked back at them, expecting some sort of explanation. They were just as confused as she was.

“Why would there be a wall right in the middle of the Equestria Railway?” Applejack retorted, moving over to the window to look for herself. The train shuddered a moment later; the sound reverberated from the opposite end of the train this time. Looking back, Applejack’s eyes widened. “There’s one behind us too!”

“Somepony doesn't want this train to go anywhere,” Twilight thought aloud, frowning. Their little journey just got a lot more complicated.

“What are we waiting for?” Rainbow Dash said, hovering a few feet away from the window. “Let’s get out there!”

“Maybe we should stay here?” Fluttershy suggested lowly, finally pulling herself up from the floor. “I’m sure the train will get moving soon…”

“I’m not so sure,” Twilight replied, shaking her head. “Something doesn't feel right about this. I agree with Rainbow Dash; we need to investigate.” Rainbow and Applejack voiced their approval; Pinkie continued to rock back and forth in her seat with a grin on her face; Fluttershy and Rarity seemed hesitant to follow as their friends left. Eventually, the two ponies conceded and departed with Pinkie hopping obliviously in tow.

Outside, they were immediately greeted by the rolling lowlands of Southern Equestria. Only a few miles from Appleloosa, the lowlands would swiftly turn to desert the further they traveled. For now, though, the flat ground seemed to stretch in all directions, with no immediate signs of life anywhere.

“Huh,” Applejack said thoughtfully as she took in her surroundings. “I was expectin’ somethin’ a bit more dramatic, like a bunch of bandits ransackin’ the train.”

“It seems some Great and Powerful disaster has befallen you!”

“Oh no…” Twilight said, covering her face with a hoof. “Not her. Not now…”

“Oh yes, Twilight Sparkle,” the voice replied as a crackle of energy appeared not far from where they were standing. A moment later, Trixie, in all her ridiculous grandeur, stood posed before them, grinning smugly.

“You again!” Rainbow Dash cried, taking an aggressive step toward the new arrival.

“Yes, it is I, the Great and (much more) Powerful Trixie!” the magical mare declared, rearing up on her hind legs dramatically.

“Why did you place a wall in the path of a train?!” Twilight interrupted, stomping a hoof for emphasis. “You endangered everypony on board with your little stunt!”

“Please,” Trixie scoffed, rolling her eyes. “The barricade was placed far down the track. The conductor had more than enough time to stop.” The egotistical mare grinned. “Why do you think you are all still alive?”

“What do you want?” Twilight retorted angrily. “We don’t have time for this!” By now, the other passengers were exiting the train, mumbling in a mix of confusion and irritation.

“Then you will make time, Twilight Sparkle,” Trixie said, her expression growing more serious. “You and I have unfinished business, remember?”

“You did all this just for another shot at Twilight?” Applejack cut in, giving the mare a strange look.

“What’s the hold up?” a nearby stallion cried from the forming crowd, earning shouts of agreement from his peers.

“I've got business in Appleloosa!”

“Why is there a bunch of bricks on the tracks?”

“Be silent, peons!” Trixie warned, her horn glowing menacingly. “This does not concern you!”

“Girls, try to take down those walls so the train can get moving again,” Twilight said suddenly, though her eyes remained on Trixie. “I’ll deal with her.”

“No way!” Rainbow Dash replied, shooting in front of Twilight with the aid of her wings. “I can take her down in thirty seconds, tops!”

“I agree with Rainbow, Twilight,” Applejack added, moving to the pegasus’ side. “Most of it, anyway. We’re a team, remember?”

“I remember,” Twilight said with a smile. “I don’t think it will be that easy, Rainbow. Besides, we could beat her now - as a team - but she will just keep coming after us. If I beat her now, in a fair fight, she may be gone for good.”

“I think you’re bein’ a bit too optimistic here,” the earth pony replied, frowning. “But if you wanna fight her by yourself, I reckon I can’t stop you.”

“It’s for the best, trust me. Just get those walls down, OK?”

“Fine!” Rainbow Dash said with a sigh, fluttering lazily toward the barricade at the rear. Rarity soon joined her, while Fluttershy, Pinkie, Applejack moved to the head of the train.

“Are you ready yet?” Trixie called, clearly annoyed.

“We can start over there,” Twilight replied, pointing further out into the field. She did not want the train or its inhabitants at risk in their duel.

“If you insist.”

In a blink of an eye, the two disappeared in bright flashes of light; the two unicorns reappeared opposite of each other a moment later, now a few hundred yards away from the immobilized train. The two stood in complete silence, with only the wind breezing through the grass to keep them company.

“You don’t have to do this.”

“What?”

“We don’t have to fight,” Twilight elaborated, frowning.

“Oh, is the almighty Twilight Sparkle afraid of little old me?” Trixie sneered, grinning smugly.

“I’m not afraid of you,” Twilight retorted. “But I don’t want to hurt you either. This whole rivalry is pointless.”

“Rivalry?” Trixie repeated with a scoff. “Don’t flatter yourself. You are but another step to greatness. I have spent the time since we last met honing my skills, and testing them upon the greatest mages in Equestria and beyond!”

“You would risk the lives of hundreds of ponies just to sate your ego?” Twilight asked, giving her an odd look. She couldn't believe how ridiculous the mare was acting. She was definitely a far cry from the arrogant, cowardly creature she had known before.

“Look, I didn't come here for your approval,” Trixie snarled, throwing her hat to the ground. The mare’s horn began to glow, and soon a bright blast of magic was sent rocketing toward Twilight. A translucent barrier appeared for a moment in front of Twilight, deflecting the attack into the ground harmlessly. 

“You truly are a hopeless fool.”

In response, Trixie sent three more blasts at her opponent. Twilight deflected the first two into the ground with a few casual sweeps of her head, but - much to her surprise - the third cut through the barrier with a loud crack. The bolt of energy shot past the unicorn’s face, singeing her skin and her mane as it passed. She looked up at Trixie, her eyes wide. The arrogant mare only grinned.

“This might take longer than I thought.”

After a moment’s pause, the two disappeared once more, and - for a moment - all was silent again. With a bright flash, they reappeared in full gallop, lobbing missiles of magical energy at each other as they ran. Twilight ducked as one of Trixie’s attacks shot over her head and hurled herself back to avoid another barrage. As she landed, the unicorn disappeared; a number of Trixie’s energy blasts exploded against the ground where Twilight had been standing moments later.

Trixie gasped as her hooves were knocked out from under her. Before her foe's name could even enter her mind, a spire of earth smashed into her ribcage, forcing the air from her lungs. Snarling, perched upon the tiny tower of dirt and rock, Trixie’s horn began to glow; a flurry of tiny spikes of rock began to shoot out of the side of the spire at her foe in rapid succession, gradually eroding the width of the structure in the process. Twilight, surprised, raised a thin barrier to protect herself from the attack. As the barrier began to break apart like brittle glass, the unicorn disappeared in another flash.

Reappearing, Twilight prepared another spell, but found her foe's perch vacant. In her moment of contemplation, she found herself curiously growing shorter. As she looked down, the unicorn found herself in the unforgiving grip of quicksand; no matter how hard she pulled, the liquidized soil would not release her hooves. It didn't take long for Twilight to remember what to do in such a situation: the mare ceased her struggling, slowing her descent, and prepared a spell. A sphere of magic shot out around her, pushing the quicksand away in the process. Twilight, still suspended inside the bubble of magic, moved herself over solid ground before dismissing the spell. 

Almost immediately as it disappeared, a loud shriek resonated overhead. Looking up, Twilight found herself staring into the face of a dragon; one comprised entirely of flame. As the molten reptile descended toward her, Twilight used a quick burst of her magic to hurl herself away. Upon contact with the ground, the dragon exploded into a raging inferno, propelling Twilight further with the blast. Smoke trailing behind her, Twilight clenched her teeth and righted herself in the air with her magic. Twilight slid a few feet as her hooves touched down; despite the pain, she immediately began searching for her attacker.

Trixie appeared with a crack a few feet above the ground - suspended by her own magic - and sent a whirlwind of energy bolts at Twilight. Thinking quickly, the unicorn deflected the first few shots and launched herself at Trixie, using her magic to propel her toward her target. While she was still sailing through the air, the unicorn began to rotate; flames began to shoot from her body as she neared and soon nothing remained of Twilight but a spiraling maelstrom of fire. Try as she might to intercept her attacker, Trixie's attacks disappeared into the flurry of flames without any apparent effect.

Trixie had no other option: the mare threw herself away with her own magic, narrowly avoiding the flames as she did. Twilight, caught in the blazing tornado, crashed into the ground. The spell dispersed into a wild flash upon contact with the terrain, revealing the unicorn within, unharmed. Twilight was barely able to catch her breath before the ground began to rumble around her. A moment later, three massive chunks of rock shot up below her; the unicorn barely threw herself out of the way in time to avoid the first two, and collided painfully with the side of the third before she was finally out of danger.

Much to Twilight’s dismay, the attack was not yet over. The hunks of rock slowed to a halt a few meters above her head and shattered. Rather than fragments of stone raining down on her, however, the unicorn found five foot spears of stone descending upon her instead. Spawned from the three gargantuan boulders, they were easily a hundred strong, and falling fast. Summoning a vast amount of magical energy, Twilight forced the spikes away at an angle, which sent them soaring toward Trixie instead. The arrogant mare didn't seem too bothered by this, and soon the two disappeared in another blaze of energy.

To any onlookers by the train, it was as if the two had completely vanished. In reality, the two reappeared in the midst of the hail of spikes; each was perched on a spear of their own. Undeterred by her dangerous environment, Trixie fired a blast in Twilight’s direction, trying to destroy her adversary’s mount. The unicorn teleported to another spike and responded with a spell of her own: an invisible wave of energy knocked a group of the lances of stone off course, sending them crashed into Trixie's position. By now, the momentum – the only thing keeping the spikes aloft – of Twilight’s throw was beginning to fade; the spears at the front of the group began to dip down into the ground.

As the smoke cleared, Twilight found her foe missing. The unicorn found herself knocked forcefully from her perch a moment later; Trixie appeared before her, riding the spike instead, as she moved further and further away. Manipulating her fall with her own magic, Twilight evaded the spears whipping past her until she was completely out of the line of fire, just as the end of the group began to impact with the ground – Trixie apparently included.

Of course, Twilight was not foolish enough to believe her enemy had met her end. When Trixie appeared behind her with a spell at the ready, she was waiting for her. Twilight ducked underneath the mare’s blade of energy and breathed out deeply at the ground beneath her. As Trixie adjusted to bring the blade down onto Twilight’s head, she swung dangerously off course and almost toppled over; the terrain below her had become solid ice, courtesy of Twilight. Exploiting her adversary's vulnerability, Twilight brought her hoof up into Trixie's stomach, winding her, before bringing her other hoof down onto her back, alternating between the two limbs to prevent herself from falling over. Trixie’s mouth was agape as she tried to recover, stumbling wildly to put some distance between the two.

As Trixie slowed to a halt, a split in the ground began to snake toward her. The mare’s horn began to glow, using a counter-spell to direct the cracking earth around her in a circle. Having freed a chunk of dirt and rock, Trixie used her magic to levitate the platform into the air. In response, Twilight began to lob bolts of energy in Trixie’s direction. The arrogant mare’s control over her perch was impressive, however, and she evaded them with ease. Twilight continued her bombardment undeterred, causing a few close calls that sheered away some of the rock that made up Trixie’s mount. After a few minutes of this assault, Trixie barely had to move to avoid the attacks.

“Are you growing weary, Twilight?” Trixie called tauntingly from above, evading another bolt. “Would you like to take a break?” The unicorn’s arrogance seemed forced, as if she was barely maintaining her composure.

Twilight’s attack did not let up. Trixie did not even bother moving to avoid the attacks at this point, and watched in amazement as the magical energy shot harmlessly beside her. Either Twilight was more injured than she seemed, or there was something very wrong. Almost instinctively, Trixie looked behind her, and what she saw made her choke on her breath. An armada of projectiles – every single one that Twilight had fired – was sitting idly around her, surrounding her from every conceivable angle. Trixie cried out in horror as she realized what her enemy had done. Desperate, Trixie’s horn began to glow as she tried to teleport herself out of the situation, but it was far too late.

The magical energy around her converged as one, bombarding her with hundreds of the projectiles. Trixie screamed into the still air as she disappeared inside the maelstrom of attacks; the crowd near the train - which had been watching the duel without ever saying a word – gasped. Each projectile was like a hoof blow to her hide; she was swiftly and decisively overwhelmed. Twilight sat in silence, watching the culmination of her efforts with a frown.

Almost as quickly as it had begun, it was over. A cloud of dirt and dust – created by the projectiles blowing apart the mare’s platform – hung over Trixie’s position. This lingered for several minutes until a strong breeze swept it away, revealing to all the Great and Powerful pony's condition. Trixie stood on a tiny speck of rock, covered from head to toe in bruises, with her teeth bared as if she had gone feral. The unicorn heaved in place; she was absolutely livid. The rock beneath her wobbled uneasily, as if about to slip out of her control at a moment’s notice.

“I don’t understand…” Trixie growled to herself, temples throbbing in her forehead. She glared intensely at Twilight; if looks could kill, the purple unicorn would certainly be dead. “I have trained…for years…” Trixie continued, tearing off the tattered remains of her cloak. Suddenly, she screamed, but this was no ordinary scream; this was a scream of pure, violent anger. “Why?! Why is her power superior to mine?! I am the greatest unicorn to ever live! She should be kneeling at my hooves, begging for mercy!”

Twilight, in the heat of battle, hadn't realized just how deranged her opponent had become. With every attack, the arrogant mare had grown more desperate, and more angry. It was as if she had expected her victory to be easy, and Twilight’s own skill was an insult.

“I’ll show her…” Trixie growled, speaking as if Twilight couldn't hear her. “I’ll show them all…I will reduce this place to cinders! I will destroy everything, everything, do you hear me?!”

“It’s over, Trixie,” Twilight called up to her. “Please, we don’t need to continue this any longer!”

This only seemed to fuel Trixie’s rage. With another bloodcurdling scream, the battered unicorn released her hold over the rock and instead began to levitate her own body, climbing higher and higher into the sky. “Avoid this next attack if you can, Twilight Sparkle, but know that if you do, this entire area will be annihilated!”

“What?” Twilight replied lowly, her eyes widening. Just what was Trixie trying to achieve?!

“This duel is over!” Trixie cried as she slowed to a stop, cackling hysterically. A brilliant glow began to pulsate around her as she collected an enormous amount of magical energy.

“This has gone way too far!” Rainbow Dash declared suddenly, preparing to make a mad dash in Trixie’s direction. Before she could get very far, Applejack already had the pegasus’ tail in her mouth, anchoring her in place.

“It wouldn't…be smart to go up there…Rainbow…” Applejack said as she struggled to keep her friend in place.

“Let me go! Twilight needs our help!”

“You need to trust her, darling,” Rarity replied, looking quite distraught despite her words. “I know things look bad, but if Twilight needs our help, don’t you think she would ask?”

“She’s too into it!” Rainbow insisted, struggling against Applejack’s grip. “Trixie’s way out of control!”

“Please,” Fluttershy interrupted lowly, fluttering up to look her friend in the eyes. “You could get hurt out there. We need to wait for Twilight’s word…”

“Fluttershy is right. Whatever she plans to do might endanger you and everypony else here if you go up there now!”
Rainbow Dash’s thrashing began to slow. Eventually, the pegasus let out a loud “hmph” and descended back to the ground,  glaring up at Trixie.

Meanwhile, Twilight’s mind was racing. Trixie intended to destroy her along with everyone else, just for the sake of her stupid pride! She had to stop her…but how in the world would she stop something like that? She couldn't risk a preemptive strike; if she wasn't there to intercept the attack, her friends and all the passengers could be killed. Twilight would have to meet the attack head-on if she had any hope of saving her friends.

“Now learn…” Trixie began ominously, the light around her burning intensely like a star. “Learn what happens when you challenge the most powerful unicorn in the universe!” the mare cried as she brought the full extent of her powers into one focused, jagged beam. The cascade of energy shot down like a comet toward Twilight, overshadowing the sun with its size and luminosity. It was as if the heavens themselves had been brought to bear against her.

With a startled cry, Twilight gathered what remained of her strength and raised a powerful shield above her. Moments later, Trixie’s attack crashed into it with an earth-shaking force, spilling light and energy in all directions. Twilight’s hooves immediately began to sink back in the dirt as she tried to withstand the terrible fury of the attack. A crater was forming beneath her as she struggled. Trixie was not bluffing; she could destroy everything around them with this energy!

“Lay down and die!” Trixie roared, sending a pulse of energy into the stream, pushing Twilight even further back. Web-like cracks began to spread all throughout the shield; soon it would shatter like glass and it would all be over. Twilight needed to act swiftly if they had any hope of survival.

Her eyes glowing brightly, the unicorn poured her own energy into the stream with a determined cry. The jagged waterfall of energy suddenly grew many times more violent; Twilight’s energy was making it unstable. Rather than a focused beam of destruction, it had become nothing more than a massive bomb.

“What have you done?!” Trixie screamed as the light coming off the attack reached blinding levels. A moment later, the energy erupted into a series of colossal explosions that shook the very earth itself for miles, obscuring the two combatants in a torrent of fire, smoke, dust, and debris.
> Chapter Seven
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Is everypony alright?”

The sound cut through the dilapidated battlefield better than any swipe of a hoof. This kind, sincere concern was the first sign of life in what felt like ages. An oppressive cloud of dirt and debris hung in the air around the speaker, limiting sight to only a few feet. After a few tense, silent moments, other shapes began to rise up in the cloud, some coughing, others muttering about soreness or injury.

“I’m fine,” said a certain rainbow-maned pegasus, fluttering awkwardly through the dirty haze to land at Applejack’s side. 

“Very displeased about all this filth, but alright,” added Rarity, fidgeting in the murk to Applejack’s left; trying to clean off the dirt, no doubt.

“Fluttershy? Pinkie?”

“I’m…ok…I guess…” Fluttershy murmured, though they could not pinpoint where she was. A moment later, they spotted Pinkie Pie, sitting happily atop the fallen pegasus.

“That was crazy! Super! Stupendous! …I ran out of words!” Pinkie said suddenly, just as Applejack was about to ask if she was alright.

“Um…Pinkie,” Fluttershy muttered from below, managing to pull a foreleg out from under her. “Could you please…move…?”

“Abso-lutely!” Pinkie replied in a sing-song voice, springing off the pegasus with renewed gusto. “Where’s Twilight?”

The bizarre, surreal calmness that had befallen the group melted away with the question. Even Pinkie’s smile disappeared, recalling what had caused the mess in the first place. It was impossible to tell if Twilight stood among them, let alone if she remained in the field where she had fought.

“Twilight?” Applejack called, pushing through the murk to examine the other shapes standing within in. Only the other ponies from the train stared back at her, in varying states of annoyance and fear. “Are ya’ll alright? That was quite the blast,” the earth pony asked, swallowing her concern for her friend for the moment. These ponies were in just as much danger as they were, after all.

After a few tentative “I’m ok”s and numerous sarcastic “just pleachy”s, Applejack fought her way through the omnipresent cloud of filth toward the field that lay beyond the tracks. After a full minute of searching with nothing to show for it, the pony clung desperately to the idea that she was just lost in the haze.

“Twilight, please! Say something!”

Silence; then, a groan.

Charging over to the source, Applejack’s eyes widened as she stood before the bruised and battered form of the once Great and Powerful Trixie.

“Trixie! …You’re alive!” Applejack gasped, and then paused. She was unsure how to proceed; Trixie was definitely out of commission, but her injuries were hardly life threatening. What would they do with her now? If nothing else, the mare’s condition gave her hope for her friend’s safety. Trixie clearly suffered the brunt of the attack, and if she was alive, so too must be Twilight.

“Twilight? Twilight!” Applejack called incessantly, stumbling blindly through the fog. She had hoped finding Trixie would give her some sort of sense of direction, but again she was met with little success. Just as she was at the end of her rope, the dust around her was suddenly swept away, seemingly by a bright flash of light. A moment later, the battered form of Twilight Sparkle stumbled through, panting and exhausted.

“Oh thank Celestia!” Applejack exclaimed as she trotted over to her friend.

“Sorry…I heard you yelling…I just can’t seem to yell back…” Twilight explained weakly, giving the earth pony a tired smile. 

“That’s alright, Twi. Let’s just get back to the train,” she replied, positioning Twilight to better ease her burden for the journey. Before they could even leave the dome of clarity Twilight had created, Pinkie and Rarity emerged from the murk to their left, while Rainbow Dash shot out of the veil from above. A moment later, Fluttershy joined them as well, mirroring Rainbow’s entrance.

“Twilight!”

“I’m so glad you’re alright, darling!”

“I knew you could take her, Twilight!”

“Oh, that reminds me!” Pinkie added suddenly, bouncing in place in front of the two ponies. “I found Trixie!”

“She survived?” Rarity asked with some disbelief. The thought of the mare’s destruction was not a pleasant one, even if she was completely insufferable, but considering the amount of damage the climax of the fight had inflicted on the surrounding area…

“I…never meant to destroy her,” Twilight assured with a shake of her head. “I’m pretty sure she wouldn’t have returned the gesture, though…”

“Just what in the hay was she trying to do, Twilight?” Applejack asked, giving the unicorn a serious look. “How did she even find us here? I thought only the Princess knew where we were going.”

“She probably followed us all the way from Canterlot!” Rainbow Dash said, hovering a few feet overhead with her arms folded against her chest.

“I don’t think so,” Twilight replied. “She told me I was just ‘another step toward greatness’. She didn’t seem to want revenge.”

“But that doesn’t explain how she found us,” Rarity said with a frown.

“I can’t answer that one,” Twilight said with a shrug. She paused. “Where did you say you found her, Pinkie?”

“You aren’t going to take her with us, are you?” Rainbow asked suddenly, though she knew the answer already. “She tried to kill us! She was going to destroy everypony just to sate her ego!”

“If we leave her out here, Rainbow, she could die,” Applejack replied lowly. Rainbow Dash frowned.

“But…what if she wakes up on the train…?” Fluttershy questioned ominously, her hoofs held up in front of her face at the thought.

“I don’t think she’s in any shape to fight,” Twilight replied with a smile. “And I’m sure you girls can persuade her to behave if she tries anything.”

This earned an enthusiastic “You know it!” from Rainbow Dash.

“I don’t know if I like this,” Applejack began with a sigh. “But we can’t just leave her. Let’s get her on the train before it takes off on us.”

As Applejack and Fluttershy helped Twilight get back to the train – with a little magical help from the latter to guide them – Rainbow, Pinkie, and Rarity began their search for Trixie. Rarity managed to produce a less reliable version of the spell Twilight was using to help them get through the haze, but it wasn’t exactly necessary; Pinkie led them right back to the battered mare without incident.

By the time the six friends had reassembled, the train denizens had already cleared out most of the dust from the locomotive’s side, where they were still standing.

“What is she doing here?” one pony asked with venom in her voice, pointing an accusing hoof at the unconscious form of Trixie draped across Rainbow’s back.

“You aren’t really taking her on the train, are you?! She’s psychotic!” This comment earned numerous mutterings of agreement.

“Unless you want the death of this here pony on your conscience, I suggest ya’ll shut up and get on board!”

In no time at all, the ponies boarded the train once more. The walls had been cleared at some point during the struggle, allowing their journey to begin again without further delay. Returning to their car, the six friends made sure to bring Trixie with them, in the event the battered mare would return to the waking world.

Much of the rest of the journey was spent in silence. With only the sounds of Trixie’s snoring and Pinkie’s oblivious humming to keep them company, the assembled ponies tried their best to rest and recuperate from their ordeal. Even with some much needed rest, they knew Twilight was in no condition to fight. Should things go south in their meeting with the Pygmies, it would be up to them to keep their injured friend out of harm’s way.

Just before sunset, the train rolled into the station at Appleloosa. The dusty town looked considerably larger than when they had first seen it, but had not lost its rustic, if not incredibly isolated, charm. The station itself was almost completely deserted at this point, with only a single, small form sprawled across one of the benches that faced the tracks. As they pulled in, the shape was woken with a start by the train’s entry.

“I think we should spend the night in here in town and set out in the morning,” Twilight said as they filed out, wincing as she bumped her saddle bags against a nearby light post. Her friends had insisted they help with her things, but she was determined to pull her own weight.

“Fine by me,” Applejack said, glaring at the large ornate chest Rarity was carrying out of the train with her magic. “Can’t say I’m lookin’ forward to puttin’ that armor on.” This earned a disapproving “humph” from Rarity as she passed.

“Let’s head to the inn so we can-“

“Spike?” Fluttershy said suddenly, hovering a few feet ahead of the group.

“Spike?” Twilight repeated, her eyes widening as she followed the pegasus’ gaze.

“Spike!” Pinkie exclaimed, bouncing over to the little dragon seated on a nearby bench. Spike looked quite irritated initially, but overcame his grouchiness when he spotted his friends.

“Hey everypony! What took you guys so long?” Spike asked as the ponies surrounded him. His gaze soon fell on Trixie, once again situated on Rainbow’s back. “Is that…Trixie?”

“It’s a long story,” Rainbow growled lowly, glaring up at the mare’s unconscious form.

“What’re you doing all the way down here in Appleloosa, Spike?” Twilight asked, concerned, but couldn’t help but smile. It had been a few weeks since she had seen her faithful assistant, and she was more than a little glad to see him now.

“Princess Celestia sent me to meet you guys,” he explained, giving her a wide grin. “Something about wanting to keep a direct line of communication. I was on the train before yours, and they said you would be arriving a half hour after me. What happened out there?”

“I’ll fill you in later,” Twilight assured, giving the dragon an affectionate nuzzle. “Let’s get to the inn first. These bags are getting heavier by the second!”
> Chapter Eight
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“She tried to…blow you all up?” Spike repeated, a mix of surprise and fear upon his features.

By now, the group had placed their belongings in their respective rooms, and assembled in the deserted lounge to catch up. The inn was small, but cozy; their rooms were only slightly larger than the space needed for their beds, but it was more than enough for their brief stay. The lounge – a collection of couches and floor pillows positioned around a large fireplace on the ground floor – was well beyond their expectations, however.

“But Twilight was having none of it!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, doing a dramatic loop in the air above them.

“I did manage to stop her attack before it hit the ground,” Twilight conceded, giving them a tentative but prideful smile.

“I’ve seen a lot of cool things in my life – mostly involving me, of course – but I have to say, Twilight,” Rainbow explained, hovering a few feet in front of Twilight. “That was pretty cool.”

“I still have no idea how in the hay that nutcase found us to begin with,” Applejack added, speaking mostly to herself.

“I can’t believe she’s still like that,” Spike replied, shaking his head. “I mean, after what happened the last time we saw her, I thought she’d get better, not worse!”

Sometime before they reached the inn, Rainbow and Applejack had taken Trixie to the local sheriff’s office and explained the situation. As they spoke, the crazed mare was being held there in a cell, unconscious with little sign of activity. Spike had sent a message to Princess Celestia shortly after, detailing the incident.

“What do you think will happen to her now?” Fluttershy asked lowly.

“She’ll probably be sent back to Canterlot for questioning,” Rainbow replied with a shrug. “After that, I guess it would be the Princess’s call.”

“I do hope they find some help for the poor girl,” Rarity said with a short sigh.

“I’m sure they will. Either way, it’s out of our hooves now,” Twilight said, rising. “I think it’s time I get some sleep, and I encourage all of you to do the same. We have a big day tomorrow.”

As the assembled ponies voiced their agreement, Spike jumped to his feet to intercept Twilight.

“Oh, I almost forgot!” Spike said as he caught up with the retreating unicorn. “What time are we all leaving for the Pigmy place?”

“We will be leaving shortly after sunrise,” Twilight replied, “but I’m afraid you can’t come with us, Spike.”

“Come on, Twilight!” Spike insisted, clearly offended. “Didn’t I already show you guys I can help, back at the Crystal Empire?”

He did have a point.

“It’s not about that, Spike,” Twilight explained, giving him a stern look. “I need somepony here to keep an eye on Trixie.”

“She’s already locked up. You’re just making excuses!”

“I’m not, Spike,” the unicorn replied, frowning. “She’s much more dangerous than she was before. I’m afraid that when she wakes up, the sheriff here in Appleloosa will have more than he can handle. Please, I need you to do this for me.”

Spike was a bit taken aback by the unicorn’s sincerity.

“Alright, fine,” he conceded, hanging his arms at his sides in mild disappointment. “I guess it sounds cool enough. ‘Spike takes down crazed criminal.’”

“Absolutely dashing, darling,” Rarity added as she passed the two, giving Spike an encouraging wink. The dragon immediately puffed out his chest with renewed gusto.

“Thank you,” Twilight said, resting her head against the little dragon’s in a small gesture of affection and gratitude. “And I promise, after we finish up, you and I are spending a little vacation time together.”

“As long as it’s not another ‘sorting party’, I’m game.”

Twilight seemed a little bit taken aback by this, but nodded. 

“…I’m sure I’ll think of something by then,” she replied with a smile, earning a playful swat from Spike.

The next morning came faster than any of them expected. In the case of Twilight Sparkle, the unicorn felt as though she had awoken from the dead. She had fallen into such a deep sleep that her body downright refused to rise for the first few minutes; only the demand for food finally coaxed it into the waking world.

“Trixie is still out cold,” Twilight explained as they made their way to the outskirts of town. Aches and pains aside, they had a job to do. The six ponies were definitely off the beaten path from this point on; the route to the Pygmy lands from there was over the sprawling savannah that surrounded Appleloosa. “Celestia’s guards should be here to pick her up soon.”

“I’ll hold down the fort until then,” Spike replied with a determined salute.

“I’m counting on you Spike,” Twilight said with a soft smile. “But if things get too crazy, you get out of there, ok?”

“Right,” Spike muttered, looking away. Twilight trusted him, that was sure, but he still felt he was more than capable of handling things himself; he felt as though she didn’t think he could make it if things got rough.

“Alright girls,” the unicorn said, her voice echoing around the rugged expanse that stood before them. “We’ve got a long journey ahead of us. Let’s move out!”

The assembled ponies voiced their approval in varying degrees of enthusiasm. Each was not only carrying saddle pads filled with supplies, but were also equipped with the gleaming golden armor Princess Celestia had bestowed upon them.

“I sure hope the Pygmies don’t take these getups the wrong way,” Applejack commented with a frown, fidgeting with her own armor. “This is a peaceful mission, right?”

“The Pygmies are known to respect power and confidence,” Twilight replied, though she didn’t exactly sound very convinced either.

“A tough bunch like them? They’ll probably be wearing the same thing!” Rainbow Dash said as she hovered overhead, her head poised proudly as she showed the world her impressive headgear.

After saying their goodbyes to Spike, the group set off into the savannah with only a rough map to guide them. Although the subject of their mission – a renegade faction of Pygmies stirring trouble for the rest – was, indeed, located in their ancestral lands, their base of operations were unknown to any Equestrian mapmakers. Princess Celestia had extracted as much information as she could from the Pygmies concerning the location of the renegades, but it was all very imprecise. 

They would need to rely on their own skills to find them once they arrived.

Meanwhile, Spike would encounter problems of different sort.

The little dragon had taken up residence near the sheriff’s office after seeing his friends off. He had expected a painfully uneventful experience, one that would swiftly end with the arrival of Celestia’s guard. But even after an hour and a half of waiting, the illustrious royal guard was nowhere to be found.

“Just my luck,” he muttered, falling onto his side on the bench he was seated upon in dramatic despair. “I get to sit here for hours while Twilight and the others save Equestria.” 

He had hoped he would be able to get the Trixie business sorted out quickly and catch up with the others in Pygmy territory. Twilight would definitely not appreciate him traveling alone like that, but he was sure she’d appreciate his help in the end.

Spike was violently ejected from his self-pity by a loud crash. Nearly jumping out of his skin, the young dragon scrambled to his feet and peered over the side of the bench in the direction of the sheriff’s office. Faintly – which was a feat in itself, considering his distance from the building – he could make out the sounds of voices.

“She’s awake,” Spike stated the obvious. He wasn’t quite sure how he felt about that. He really wanted the time to shine, but Trixie was definitely not the harmless bragger she once was. It didn’t really matter either way, though; Twilight put her faith in him to keep Trixie in check.

Swallowing what remained of his anxieties, Spike hopped down from the bench and made his way to the site of the disturbance. As soon as his foot touched the stoop, the door exploded open and slammed against the side of the building with a thunderous bang.

Trixie, in all her terrible glory, stood in the doorway. The mare was covered in bruises, her mane singed and unkempt. The look upon her face caused the little dragon to freeze in terror; indeed, if looks could kill, all of Equestria would be dead. Scanning her surroundings, Trixie’s piercing gaze lingered over each and every Appleloosan standing before her, all of which hastily returned to their work as if nothing had happened. Spike, to the mare’s side, was spared her terrible glare for the moment.

Spike had anticipated the mare might cause some trouble, but this was ridiculous. In the minutes following her recovery, she not only freed herself from the Appleloosan jail, but incapacitated its sheriff – a loud groan coming from the door behind her confirming the notion – in one fell swoop. And this was after having a terrible battle with the most powerful unicorn he knew! How did he have any chance against a power like that?

“Twilight…Sparkle…” Trixie muttered as she descended the small set of stairs at the front of the building, her legs wobbling unsteadily as she did. The extent of the battle the day prior was more than just cosmetic, it seemed; the mare was definitely suffering, but apparently not enough to render her completely harmless.

Spike found himself unable to move as the battered Trixie stumbled past him. This was way out of his league! But…Twilight trusted him. If he didn’t act now, Trixie would get away and it would be all his fault. Until the guards from Canterlot arrived, he was the only one capable of stopping her now; the Appleloosans clearly did not want to get involved.

“T-Trixie!”

The mare stopped. Spike found it difficult to continue.

“I-I can’t let you leave!”

At this, Trixie turned. Her gaze, filled to the brim with malice though it was, was laced with curiosity. The broken unicorn’s eyes lingered on him for several moments, and he found it painfully difficult to tell what she was thinking.

“You…” she began, her voice dripping with venomous intent. “You are Twilight Sparkle’s…pet,” she concluded, practically spitting the name of her rival.

“Twilight is my friend,” Spike confirmed, trying to swallow his fear. “And that’s why I can’t let you leave!”

Trixie merely stared at him for a few moments, her gaze that of surprise more than anything. The mare suddenly drew closer, until her face sat inches from his own. He could see the veins in her eyes, and the stare alone made him want to flee in terror.

“She sent…you…to guard…me?” Trixie said at last, saying each word slowly and carefully. She sounded as if she were going to explode at any moment.

“Y-ye-“

“Where is she?” the unicorn cut him off suddenly, seemingly suppressing her own fury as she looked around. “Where is the magnificent Twilight Sparkle hiding? We have a score to settle.”

“She’s gone,” Spike replied simply.

Trixie stared daggers at Spike for several moments, as if daring him to lie to her. Evidently, something about his own gaze back told her he was telling the truth. At this, her anger sharply turned to despair.

“Th-this isn’t right!” she lamented, wrapping her hooves around her head. “I can’t lose her now! The Princess said I won’t be able to continue my studies if I can’t beat her!”

“Princess?” Spike muttered, staring thoughtfully at the ground.

“I have to find her!” Trixie cried, pulling herself together. The shift in mood was gone just as quickly as it had appeared. Her gaze suddenly shifted back to Spike, and the dragon felt himself shrink a little. “Where did they go?”

“I’m n-not saying anything.”

“Dragon, do not test me,” Trixie warned, giving him another deadly stare. “I won’t ask you a third time. Where are they?”

Spike took a deep breath and puffed out his chest in dignified defiance.

“You asked for it,” Trixie growled, her horn glowing brightly. Spike shielded himself with his arms instinctively, but the attack never came. The unicorn cried out in pain, her eyes tightly shut and her mouth half-open in a pained snarl. Spike, frozen in his state of self-defense, took a few moments to figure out he was not yet under siege.

“Maybe she isn’t feeling as well as she thought,” Spike mused to himself, watching Trixie struggle to lift her head. The unicorn seemed to be experiencing quite the fierce migraine, and Spike guessed her previous battle may have had something to do with it. “It’s not worth it, Trixie. You’re hurt. Just go back to your cell and wait until the guards show up.”

“I don’t…think so…” Trixie replied through clenched teeth, heaving as if she had just run a mile. “I will…not be kept from this…any longer…”

With a cry of pain, Trixie’s horn erupted into a shower of light and sparks. A moment later, a cyan bolt of magical energy exploded against the ground to Spike’s left, leaving a small crater and scorched earth in its wake. Realizing he may not be as safe as previously thought, Spike took off down the street just as another bolt smashed into the ground where he had been standing moments before.

“Why do they always have to run?” Trixie growled, straining to maintain her magical attack. And continue it did; every so often the ground behind Spike would explode in a shower of dirt and sparks. Much to his dismay, however, he quickly noticed that each subsequent blast was sooner and more accurate than the last. Either Trixie was overcoming her pain, or had found some way around it.

Not wanting to wait until the unicorn fully honed her accuracy, Spike turned sharply and darted down a side street between two Appleloosan buildings. The dragon had no intention of fleeing the city, and knew that he was the only connection Trixie had to where Twilight had gone. The unicorn would likely be in hot pursuit no matter where he went, and he definitely couldn’t take her head on. He needed to come up with a plan, and do to do that, he needed to be alive.

Turning another corner, Spike gradually slowed to a halt in an alley between another pair of structures. He had noticed that the lull in combat since he disappeared from the unicorn’s sight. As well, the streets around him seemed completely deserted. But he wasn’t naïve enough to believe he had escaped; no…she was planning something.

As if in response, the space in front of the exhausted dragon exploded into a fountain of light and sound. A moment later, the battered form of Trixie stood before him, her horn glowing brightly and her eyes glaring daggers at him. A moment after that, the unicorn nearly collapsed in a fit of pain. 

Taking his chance, Spike ran over to the unicorn’s side, turned, and launched himself onto her back, wrapping his hands around her neck to ensure his position. The pony struggled under his grasp, bucking a few times to try and rid herself of her attacker.

“Get…off!” Trixie snarled, trying and failing to cope with her own problems while simultaneously trying to buck him off.

“Never!”

Trixie bucked one last time, but was unable to maintain her footing during the recovery. Stumbling awkwardly to the side, the unicorn thumped against the wooden barrier making up one side of the alley. Letting out a renewed gasp of pain, Trixie swayed uneasily on her hooves, and Spike knew it was time to leave. Launching himself further down the alley, the little dragon narrowly escaped the unicorn’s resulting collapse.

And with that, it was over.

“Geez,” Spike muttered, picking himself up off the ground walking hesitantly over to the prone form of the Great and Powerful Trixie. “She must be really hurting.” The dragon paused, then sighed. “Alright, let’s go…”
> Chapter Nine
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The six ponies – trained by royalty, by specialty, by experience and considered by many to be saviors of all of Equestria - had been wandering the wastes for hours, with no end in sight.

“We’ve been out here for hours!” lamented Rarity, lagging a good fifteen feet behind the rest.

“Thank you…for the update,” Applejack replied with hostile sarcasm.

All the ponies – even the bubbly, infinite source of energy that was Pinkie Pie – were feeling the full effects of the heat by now. This was made significantly worse by the armor they all wore, which gleamed blindingly in the unrelenting sun that loomed overhead.

“Are you sure,” Fluttershy began softly, her words broken up by sharp breathes, “the Princess didn’t mention a meeting place? Or maybe some landmarks?”

“I’m afraid not,” Twilight replied with a weak, sympathetic smile. The unicorn wasn’t even sure how long they could keep up the search; although they had packed provisions for their journey, there was a very real risk of getting lost in the sprawling badlands. And at this rate, it could take days – or even weeks – to find the renegades in such a place. With nothing but scorching savannah for miles around, Twilight could feel her own faith in the mission swiftly draining away.

“Wha-…Hey!”

Twilight jolted at the sound. A moment later, Rarity barreled into her, pushing the other unicorn to the side with a clatter of armor plate. Twilight quickly found she did not need to question her comrade’s odd behavior; the source of the disturbance was abundantly clear.

Despite the flat expanse of the desert before them, they had not seen nor sensed the approach of their enemy. By the time Rarity had alerted the rest, they were already surrounded. Pygmies – a small relative of the Equestrian races – in dirty rusted armor and armed with a variety of weapons encircled them like a pack of wolves. Their fur was long and unkempt, and they looked as though they were more suited for an arctic environment rather than an arid one. Most carried spears, attached to their armor by crude devices. Others carried swords in their mouths, wielding the weapons with a surprising amount of dexterity.

“Woah!” Rainbow Dash cried out as she narrowly avoided a thrust from one of the spear carriers. “Are you crazy?! We’re unarmed! We’re just here to talk!”

Whether or not the Pygmies understood, Twilight couldn’t tell, but if they did, they showed no signs of compliance. The dwarf equines – a little over half their size – continued to patrol in a circle around them, the space growing tighter and tighter with each revolution. The Pygmy warriors would lash out with their weapons if any of them got too close, and it didn’t take long for the six ponies to stop doing just that.

“We’ve come on the authority of Princess Celestia of Equestria!” Twilight shouted over the sounds of clattering armor. “We’re here to negotiate on behalf of your people!”

The unicorn let out a yelp of surprise as a spear shot out to meet her, grazing her chest plate. A thin gash was carved into the flawless metal surface before the blade sheared out to her side.

“Don’t ya’ll have ears?! We’re not here to cause any trouble!” Applejack snarled, glaring daggers at their aggressors.

Seemingly in response, the Pygmies came to a halt in a disciplined, rigid fashion. For a tense moment, there was nothing. Then, protocol was thrown to the wind as they charged into battle, yelling war cries that shook the ponies to their core.

Metal flashed as the Equestrians came under attack. Rainbow narrowly danced away from another lethal thrust, ignoring the opportunity to retaliate in a surprising display of restraint. Fluttershy took to the air to avoid serious conflict of her own, much to the disapproval of the other pegasus. Meanwhile, a Pygmy wielding a sword lunged to strike at Applejack’s neck. The earth pony ducked below the blow and thrust her head forward, allowing the weight of the smaller equine to fall upon her neck and back. With a sudden jolt upright, the Pygmy was sent soaring over their heads, its weapon falling from its teeth as it cried out in surprise.

Twilight fenced with two spear carriers, her horn alight in a display of magical energy. Although her ethereal blade rivaled the length of the Pygmy weapons and moved fluently with a tilt of her head, she found herself struggling to keep up with her adversaries. Perhaps, she mused to herself while narrowly avoiding another thrust, she was to blame; their current predicament had sent her mind reeling. Princess Celestia had put such emphasis on a peaceful approach, and such a thing seemed impossible now. Had they failed so quickly?

Rarity, meanwhile, dealt with opposition of her own. The unicorn mimicked Twilight’s magical blade – though her version was a light blue – with notable difficulty. The spell had been one of a number that Twilight had taught her, and the fact that she was capable of using it at all was quite the feat. She was unable to maintain it for long, however, and thus the blade was only made manifest when it was needed; between strikes, she was unarmed, and struggling.

Pinkie, on the other hand, seemed to be enjoying herself thoroughly. Cut off from the rest of the group by spear and sword, the pink pony weaved through the lashing blades and piercing strikes with an enthusiastic gape, much to the frustration of her enemies.

Twilight ducked low as her aggressors made a joint attack from either side. With a quick flick of her head, she removed the bladed end of one spear and sent a one-hooved buck into the chest of the other Pygmy, forcing it into a stagger. One of its allies crashed down onto it a moment later, ending any chance of retaliation. Applejack gave the purple unicorn a quick nod, in an apparent tug of war involving her rope and a Pygmy’s sword. Another Pygmy’s spear was broken a few inches from its metal tip with a swift strike of Rainbow Dash’s hoof, turning the weapon into an oversized toothpick as it attempted to breach Rarity’s defenses. Even Fluttershy did her part, ducking down close enough to the battle to gain their attention, only to swoop back out of reach the moment they attacked.

“Please, it doesn’t have to be this way!” Twilight insisted, sending a surge of energy through her horn-blade, causing it to sheer through a Pygmy’s sword with a smoldering hiss. The weapon fell to pieces at the little equine’s hooves, its mouth agape.

“HOLD!” the disarmed Pygmy cried, causing all six ponies to jolt in surprise. Immediately, with militaristic discipline, the other Pygmies disengaged, bowing out of their respective fights and even leaving their weapons behind if necessary. “The ritual is complete.”

“The what now?” Applejack asked with wide eyes and a frown, her rope still hanging from her clenched teeth.

“You have proven yourselves to be capable warriors,” the Pygmy warrior explained, matter-of-factly. “Your request for an audience is granted.” 

All six ponies stood in stunned silence, trying to wrap their minds around the new developments.

“This way,” the stoic equine said at last, setting off in a random direction. Its fellows gathered their weapons – if they were still intact – and followed, showing no sign of distrust toward the ponies they were just fighting.

“Woo! That was fun!” Pinkie exclaimed, breaking the silent hold over her friends. The bubbly earth pony bounced after the Pygmies, grinning.

“What just happened?” Rainbow muttered as she watched them go, talking mostly to herself. Rarity and Applejack gave her a knowing glance, unsure of how to proceed. At last, Twilight sighed.

“We still have a mission, girls.”

None of the ponies – sans Pinkie – seemed very comfortable about it, but they followed nonetheless.

***

The group walked for twenty minutes before they reached their destination. Although most of the Equestrians remained in a reserved, untrusting silence, Pinkie was no shortage of activity, doing laps around the Pygmy warband as she questioned and talked. The de-facto leader of the little equines would only give her the occasional “mhm” or “no” when appropriate, though he did so without prejudice, seemingly an infinite well of patience. 

The group eventually came to a stop in the middle of the badlands, with only grass and sun to keep them company. At first, Twilight found herself tensing for a fight, but as the leader of the Pygmy warband unearthed a strange hatch in the middle of the field, she realized they had truly arrived.

No wonder they couldn’t find it themselves – the renegades built their base of operations underground, along with the rest of their race.

“This way,” the Pygmy in charge said, allowing his fellows to descend ahead of him. “Watch your step. These passageways were built for Rath'urn.”

The little equine did not lie. Twilight was forced into an uncomfortable crouch to just squeeze inside, her hooves teetering uneasily on the undersized steps. Solid earth surrounded her, and it was a wonder the tunnel did not collapse as she struggled her way through. At first, the unicorn feared that, once the hatch was closed, there would be no light at all; surely the Pygmies would have ways of coping with the darkness, but these ways may not be shared with the other races. As she plunged into the yawning dark, however, she found herself surrounded by glowing green runes, embedded in the dirt like bioluminescent cave paintings. Twilight marveled at their composition, wondering how they were made to only appear outside of sunlight; so transfixed by these was she that she almost lost her balance.

Their dark descent continued for an uncomfortably long time; as primarily subterranean creatures, the Pygmies felt at home so far from the surface, but to the Equestrians, it felt oppressive and dark, even with the runes to light the way.

Just as Twilight began to feel painfully claustrophobic, the narrow earthen passage spilled into an enormous underground canyon – large even by pony standards. Her friends emerging behind her, the six Equestrians gaped at their surroundings. Buildings lined the edges of the canyon, each a masterpiece of stone architecture. The runes that had accompanied them down the passage from the surface became sprawling, alien murals, giving the entire underground abode a dim, verdant full-moon glow.

And here, Twilight finally understood the bizarre appearance of her hosts – while the surface was unrelentingly hot and arid, the underground was frigid and damp, chilling them to the bone in moments.

After a few minutes of silent awe, the leader of the Pygmy warband emerged behind them, snapping them back to reality with his presence. “This way,” he said with a grunt, setting off without introduction or explanation of their surroundings.

“I don’t like this,” Rarity muttered as they trailed a few feet behind their guide, shivering.

“If this is a trap, there’s no way we can get back to the surface!” Rainbow Dash agreed with a frown. The pegasus hovered just overhead, her head held low to keep her words for their ears only. She was right; they couldn’t exactly squeeze through the passage with any sort of speed.

As much as Twilight agreed, there was very little they could do now. The decision was made; she could only pray it wouldn’t cost them their lives.

As they followed their host through the stony streets, the unicorn began to notice something – something that wasn’t there. Despite the scale of their surroundings – easily half the size of Ponyville – there seemed to be a drastic shortage of citizens. Occasionally they would spy a Pygmy or two eyeing them from an alley, or from across the canyon, all equipped with armor and weapons, just as their guide’s party was. It made sense – this renegade faction was new, and had not yet gained a large following. But if that were true, how in the world had they built all this so quickly?

So many questions. It made Twilight uncomfortable.

Their host suddenly broke off from the rest of his party, which continued down the length of the canyon, and climbed the stairs of one of the large stone structures with a surprising amount of agility. The Equestrians followed, finding the stone stairs more manageable than the last, but only just. Inside, the building retained the cold harshness – and brilliant craftsmanship – of its exterior. Thankfully, it was significantly larger than the passage, allowing them to stand their full height within any given room, and were only forced to duck when passing through doorways.

Passing through a few unremarkable chambers, the group suddenly found themselves in an enormous hall, the ceiling of which loomed at least thirty feet above their heads. Runic patterns of all shapes and sizes decorated the walls, lightning the room with an almost day-level of brightness. At the opposite end of the chamber stood an enormous wall covered in ornate carvings. Instead of the usual Pygmy language – which none of them could decipher – the carvings were of real world objects and beings, depicting fierce battles, great triumphs, and powerful symbols. At the center of the barrier stood two enormous metallic doors decorated with intricate markings of their own, and looming just above the titans of metal were two large, cat-like eyes. Unlike the rest of the carvings, which appeared as natural as the stone itself – speaking volumes of their age – the eyes appeared to be fresh addition, making them all the more jarring.

Two Pygmies stood on either side of the monolithic doorway, clad in armor of a much higher quality than the rest. Gleaming silver in the green glow of the runes, the two equines stood like statues, ignorant of the group swiftly approaching.

The Equestrians and their guide slowed to a halt a few feet away. “Who will be speaking on your behalf?” their warrior host asked, turning to regard them with its ever-stoic visage.

They paused. “Beg your pardon?” Applejack said at last, raising a brow.

“Only one of your party may speak with our esteemed val’thral,” the Pygmy explained. None of the assembled ponies understood what the word meant, and their guide did not seem to want to elaborate. Regardless, they understood well enough to be caught off guard.

Twilight grimaced. Each of them had strengths and weaknesses of their own that could make or break the negotiation. Together, they would play to their strengths, ensuring a better chance of success. But separated, things would be much more complicated.

Twilight herself had some experience as a negotiator, but her experience did not expand much outside her own people. As good a mediator as she might seem, her own predisposition toward intellectualism and magic might be seen as a sign of weakness to such a race.

Applejack was trustworthy, sensible, and strong, but also very stubborn. Her own persistence may be their undoing if the two parties started butting heads.

Rarity was charismatic and charming, but also delicate. Twilight doubted she could simply charm her way to success, and the Pygmies might regard her focus on physical appearance with distaste.

Fluttershy was kind and compassionate, but also timid. Even with all the progress she has made since Twilight first arrived in Ponyville, Fluttershy was still not one for a fight, physical or otherwise. If voices were raised, she might not be as capable in the negotiation.

Rainbow Dash was dependable and her own strength might be viewed with respect by the Pygmies, but she was not beyond losing her cool when things got heated. As well, she might not be as quick to censor her words and actions, and could end any chance of success without realizing it.

And Pinkie Pie…

It was only then that Twilight realized the others were staring at her expectantly.

“Me?” she asked, frowning.

“Of course, sugarcube,” Applejack replied with a smile. “Talkin’ ponies out of crazy is just about your specialty!”

“But the Pygmies are warriors. Maybe it would be best if Rainbow Dash did the negotiating.”

“’Negotiating’ is not really my kind of thing,” the pegasus replied with a shrug. “Unless they want to settle this with some hoof wrestling.”

As the Equestrians debated who was the most suited for the job – with each member campaigning for someone other than themselves – they almost didn’t notice the pink pony stepping forward.

“Don’t worry girls,” Pinkie said confidently, interrupting them mid-sentence, “I’ve got this!”

Before the others could stop her, the bubbly earth pony trotted happily up to the guards, who turned in rigid discipline to open wide the enormous plates of metal.

“Pinkie, wait!” Twilight cried in a panic as her friend disappeared behind the shutting doors. All five ponies rushed forward to pursue her, but the guards blocked their passage with crossed spears.

“Only one may enter,” they declared in unison, glaring up at the Equestrians. Despite their small stature, they were more than a little imposing.

Twilight’s mind reeled. Pinkie was the polar opposite of the stoic, no-nonsense attitude that every Pygmy seemed to possess. Although she certainly had other strengths, the current situation was monstrously out of her area of expertise.

“She did teach me how to barter…” Fluttershy murmured during the ensuing silence, trying to offer what little comfort she could.

***

Inside, the pink pony marched down a small hallway with a determined smile. There was no doubt in her mind that the leader of the renegades would be made to see reason. Everypony was reasonable; sometimes they just lost their way. Pinkie would be there to help, and everypony would be happy.

At the opposite end of the hall, the room once again expanded in all directions – though it was still massively dwarfed by the previous chamber. Directly in front of her, on a raised slab of stone, sat a burly Pygmy that Pinkie, at first, thought might be a pony. Just about matching her in height, the Pygmy leader’s long hair was pulled into a ponytail underneath its chin, and it wore thick leather armor on its shoulders and haunches. Its mane was choppy and unkempt, and a few scars were visible where its hair was thin; undoubtedly, more were hidden beneath its shaggy coat.

Two more of the fearsome, statuesque guards stood on either side, their spears pointed toward the ceiling.

“Quarah? In my city?” the Pygmy said with notable surprise, its voice just as deep and guttural as its kin.

“Quail Ran?” Pinkie repeated, tilting her head. “No, silly! I’m Pinkie Pie.”

The Pygmy leader snorted. “Why are you here, quarah?”

“I’m here to negotiate on behalf of your people!” she said in an exaggerated tone, mimicking Twilight’s earlier declaration. The muscular equine stiffened.

“Unless they have finally come to their senses and wish to join us, we have nothing to talk about.”

“Aw, that’s no way to treat your friends!”

“They are not our friends,” the Pygmy growled, emphasizing the point with a stomp of his hoof.

“Why not?”

“They have yet to recognize the truth,” the Pygmy explained, as if eager to preach. “The Destroyer has shown me this truth. I tried to help them understand, but they were blind. I became an exile. Now I try to save as much of my race as I can…before it’s too late.”

“The Destroyer?” Pinkie repeated, making a face. “He doesn’t sound too friendly!”

“She,” the little equine corrected, “appeared to me, Mek’arba, and me alone. She told me about the dangerous path we tread, and assured me of our destruction if we did not act. She wielded unimaginable power; power that could move mountains! Tame seas! Destroy worlds!”

A cold wind shot through the chamber ominously, despite the impossibility of such a thing. Pinkie didn’t seem to notice.

“But she told you to leave your friends,” the pink pony retorted with a frown. “That doesn’t sound very nice.”

“I wouldn’t expect a quarah to understand such a power.”

“She sounds like a bully,” Pinkie said, without fear or censor. The Pygmies bristled. “Just because a bully is strong doesn’t mean they’re worth listening to!”

The Pygmy leader boiled with surprise and anger, but said nothing.

“Don’t you care about your friends?” the bubbly earth pony continued with another tilt of her head.

“Of course,” Mek’arba snapped, irritated.

“And don’t you think you guys are strong?”

“Rath’urn have no equal!” the leader barked with pride, stomping his hoof. 

“But this Destroyer lady is stronger?”

An uneasy silence descended over the group. Even the guards, who had thus far been staring without focus, looked thoughtfully at the floor.

“Perhaps she is,” Mek’arba growled at last, teeth clenched.

“With you and your friends fighting, she is!”

The Pygmy leader jolted as if struck. He opened his mouth to retort, but found nothing to say. This was unbelievable. They had been set upon their path for months, without a trace of doubt in their mind. But now…Why….why did this quarah make so much sense?

“I think you should talk to them,” Pinkie said after a few moments of stunned silence, smiling. “Friendship is stronger than any bully. I should know; I have great friends!” The pinky pony was beaming at this point.

“I…” Mek’arba began, brushing his forehead with a foreleg, “I don’t know.”

“Would you like to talk about it?” the earth pony offered helpfully.

“No…No, you’ve said enough,” the burly Pygmy said, raising a hoof. “I will consider your request. You are dismissed.”

Pinkie gave him a wild grin before trotting back down the hall.

***

“That’s it?” Twilight asked, frowning. The pink pony was back so quickly. “They’ll think about it?”

“Mr. Arba looked pre-tty shook up!” Pinkie Pie said with pride, grinning. “I told him how important friendship is. He was ready to leave his friends, all because some meanie told him to!”

“And just who was this ‘meanie’?” Applejack inquired.

“Mr. Arba called her ‘The Destroyer’,” Pinkie explained, looking up at the ceiling thoughtfully.

All five ponies frowned.

“I don’t suppose he was willing to discuss this any further?” Twilight offered. Pinkie shook her head, but seemed no less confident in their success.

“What do we do, Twi?” Applejack asked. “Is ‘thinking about it’ good enough?”

“I guess we don’t have much of a choice,” Twilight replied, shrugging. “If Pinkie says he’s convinced, he’s convinced. Let’s go home.”

“Not to rain on this parade,” Rainbow began, hovering overhead, “but just how are we going to find home?”

They hadn’t really thought of that. They had wandered the badlands for hours before they were ambushed. Twilight wasn’t sure they could find their way back without sending Rainbow Dash or Fluttershy to search from the air. Even then, it could take hours.

“Head southeast,” the voice of their guide, still standing a few yards away, said at last. “And forget you were ever here.”

***

It took hours of walking through the frigid desert night to verify, but their guide’s directions were spot on. After determining their position with the stars overhead – for the merciless sun had long since retreated from the sky – Twilight had lead them southeast without deviation, and now, at last, Appleloosa loomed ahead of them. The dusty little town was the sweetest sight in the world to the six exhausted ponies. They charged toward it with renewed vigor, desperate for a chance to rest.

As they neared the city’s limits around where they had initially set off, they were surprised to find Spike, teetering on the balls of his feet nervously, waiting for them. The little dragon rushed out to meet them, clutching something to his chest.

“Spike?” Twilight said, surprised. Seeing her assistant’s panicked state, she almost fell into a panic of her own. “What’s wrong, Spike? Did something happen?”

“This!” Spike replied, offering up a scroll. The parchment was sealed with the mark of Equestrian Royalty. “It’s from the Princess. It’s urgent.”